


Invader Zim: I Love to Hate You

by Writing_Shepherd



Series: Invader Zim [1]
Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Aliens, Angst, Anxiety, Awkward Romance, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Canon-Typical Violence, Denial of Feelings, Depression, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Everyone Thinks They're Together, Fear, Fear of Death, Forbidden Love, Gay, Getting Together, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Kissing, Loneliness, M/M, Not Human, References to Depression, Reunions, Romance, Sexual Tension, Smut, Social Anxiety, Tags Are Hard, Xenophilia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2020-06-23 19:50:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 27,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19708243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writing_Shepherd/pseuds/Writing_Shepherd
Summary: "Not friends, not enemies, just strangers with memories."After suddenly leaving Earth, Zim leaves Dib to face the fact that he's alone again. Several years later, Zim returns, and Dib is forced to realize what his heart had been telling him all along.





	1. Chapter 1

Dib walked out of the restaurant, sighing softly as he ran a hand through his black hair. He’d gotten it cut recently, and man was it a relief, but it did nothing for him in that restaurant. Not only was the job super stressful (the restaurant was high in demand since it had just opened, and they were always full), but the AC had been finicky, too. He honestly hated the job, but it paid well, and he made decent tips.

He got into his car and shoved the key into the ignition, his car whirring to life. He buckled up and pulled out of the parking lot, driving down an older road that not many people took these days. He enjoyed not having to suffer through city traffic even if it meant taking a longer road. The other issue (besides the time it took to get to his house) was that the area the road was through fogged up very frequently, making it difficult to see when driving.

He was tired, and his headlights barely penetrated through the thick fog. He turned on the radio to fill the silence, grimacing when a song that he didn’t like came over the frequency. “It’ll do,” he sighed to himself. 

Dib would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t miss the simpler days when he was younger. Granted, they weren’t necessarily simple with Zim around, but… It was fun, at least. He scoffed as he found himself calling all the time they spent together fun. They’d been trying to kill each other for god’s sake, but he really couldn’t deny that it gave him a sense of purpose and bit of a thrill. 

Zim kept things interesting, and when he just up and vanished one day, not leaving a trace behind, Dib was heartbroken. He’d never admit it, but he liked having Zim around. He enjoyed the thrill of their fights, he enjoyed being in the presence of an alien, even if it was one as incompetent as Zim. He never did find out where Zim had disappeared to, but he couldn’t be bothered now. He was more focused on working and saving up for college now that he’d graduated high school. 

Dib hadn’t realized how fast he was going until he saw the faint outline of a figure in the fog. He gasped and slammed his foot on the brakes, gritting his teeth and flinching as he heard a thud. He cursed and quickly exited his car, running around to the front. “Oh shit, are you okay-” He stopped midsentence when he saw a familiar face laying on the ground a few feet from his car. 

“Zim?!” He said softly, eyes wide in disbelief. He rushed to his old rival’s side, grabbing his arm gently and lifting him up onto his feet. Zim winced as he walked to the car with Dib, stunned into silence. Dib gently helped him into the passenger’s seat, and Zim finally regained his senses. 

“I can do it! I’m not a smeet!” He snapped viciously, baring his teeth at the human male. Dib rolled his eyes and shut the door a little harder than what was probably necessary. The black-haired human shifted into drive and lightly pushed down the gas pedal. 

After a small moment of awkward silence, Dib huffed. “Just what the hell were you doing standing in the middle of the road this late at night?” He asked, voice sharp and angrier than he had intended it to be. There was no damage to his car, but he had no idea how Zim felt after being hit by a car going 65 miles an hour. 

“I simply crashed in a field nearby,” he said, obviously not telling the entire truth. Dib took a glance over at him, frowning at the Irken’s current state. His uniform was the same, but it was torn and bloody, and he wasn’t in his disguise. What the hell happened to him, and what was he thinking walking around like that where anyone could drive by and see him? It looks worse than it probably is, he thought to himself. Zim didn’t seem to be in too much pain. A bit agitated, of course, but that was normal whenever they were around each other. 

“Are… You okay?” He asked him, turning his gaze back to the road quickly. 

“I am fine.” The alien grumbled softly. Dib didn't believe that for a second. Zim was all spacey, staring out of the window with narrowed eyes (which could’ve just been agitation, but Dib swore he could sense the paranoia radiating off of the alien). 

“Um, okay… Where’s G.I.R?” He asked, trying to change the subject. It was odd that the screaming robot wasn’t anywhere in sight. 

“I demand that you cease your interrogation, worthless human!” He snarled angrily. It was clear that Dib had struck a nerve with that one, and he wasn’t sure why, but he knew that it couldn’t be good He decided not to push it, and they settled into silence for the rest of the way. Zim crossed his arms over his chest with a soft huff, going back to looking out of the window. Dib frowned, sighing softly as he turned onto his street, slowing down and stopping at a sign. 

“Why are we going to your filthy place, human?” Zim growled indignantly.

“First of all, it’s not filthy. I’ll have you know that I clean very often. Second of all, where else would you go?” Said Dib. “If you got caught without your disguise, you’d be sent away to some lab for scientists to experiment on you.” Zim hated to admit that Dib was right, so he just shut his mouth, silently seething in his seat. 

Dib pressed a button on one of the visors above him and the garage door slowly slid open. He pulled up the driveway and into the garage. He put the car in park before turning the car off and taking out the key. He unbuckled his belt and stepped out of the car. He turned to lock it but smirked when he realized Zim hadn’t figured out how to open his door yet. “Need some help?” He asked softly, tilting his head. 

“I do not require your assistance!” Zim snapped back, glaring at the smirking human. Damn him, he thought as he finally opened the door and stepped out. Dib locked the car and opened the door that led into the house. Zim followed as Dib entered. 

Dib stepped to the side to allow Zim to pass, sliding off his jacket and hanging it on one of the various hooks on the wall. He turned to kick off his boots and caught Zim’s ruby eyes staring at him. Dib fought back the urge to squirm under the intensity. “What are you looking at me for, Zim?” He asked. 

Zim looked away with such speed that he was sure he gave himself whiplash, or whatever the humans called it. “I wasn’t staring at anything!” He said, face warm with embarrassment. He cursed himself silently for being embarrassed by a stupid human. Dib eyed him suspiciously before kicking off his boots into the corner. 

With a yawn, Dib walked into the kitchen, stretching his arms into the air. Zim followed, but kept a distance between them, leaning against the frame of the doorway with his arms crossed. “Is your awful sibling home?” Spat Zim. 

“No, Zim, she doesn’t even live here anymore. It’s just me.” Said Dib, getting into the fridge. 

“So, you live entirely alone.” Commented Zim, smirking faintly. 

“I do.”

“Pathetic!” Said Zim, smirking. Dib shot him a glare but kept quiet. “Do you have a mate..?” Zim immediately felt his face heat up. Why had he asked Dib of all people such a question? He didn’t care! But he was curious. The human had definitely grown since Zim had last seen him. 

Dib felt a soft blush cover his own cheeks, thankful that his back was turned to Zim. “I don’t.” He said, opening a container. He put the contents on a plate and popped it into a microwave. 

“Oh, I’m shocked!” 

Dib sighed softly. At least Zim’s attitude hadn’t changed. Well, Dib guessed it wouldn’t have been too bad if it did for the better. He was still as annoying as ever. “Why’d you crash in the field, Zim?” He asked, causing the alien to instantly shut up. He smirked to himself, taking out his food once the microwave beeped. He sat down at the kitchen table and started eating. After this, he was taking a quick shower, and then he was off to bed. He had two days off, and while he’d planned on enjoying them, he somehow knew that wasn’t going to happen. 

He glanced up a few times to make sure Zim was still there. Zim, annoyed by this, glared at the human. “Stop staring at Zim!” He snapped, causing Dib to chuckle. 

“Sorry, I just don’t want you wandering around.” He murmured. He took a few minutes to finish eating before standing and taking his plate to the sink. As he washed his plate and fork off, he hummed thoughtfully. “Hey, is your ship still out in the field?” He turned his head to look over his shoulder at Zim. 

“No, of course not! Zim is not stupid!” Snapped the Irken. “I destroyed whatever was left when I… Landed.” He said, holding his head high. 

“Good. You okay with staying in the living room?” He said, turning off the water and drying his hands. 

“I suppose that will do.” Sighed Zim. Dib gave him a look before walking past him for the stairs. “Where are you going?” Asked the alien.    
  


“To take a shower, and then go to bed.” Replied Dib.

“Why? Does your pathetic mind need to recharge after spending a few measly earth hours out in public?” He jabbed. 

Dib laughed sarcastically, “Look, Zim, I’m tired, so I’m going to bed. Mess up my living room, and you’ll regret it.” He threatened. Zim pretended to look scared, placing a hand over his chest. With that, Dib walked upstairs, leaving Zim alone. The Irken sighed. How humiliating. He was staying in a human’s household. Not just any human, but The Dib. 

“Sleep is for weak-minded people anyway…” He grumbled to himself before settling down on the couch. After figuring out how to work the remote (it’d been a while since he’d used one, and this one was different than the device he had at his house/base all those years ago), he turned on the TV. He welcomed the noise, hugging his knees to his chest with a soft sigh. 

It was going to be a long night. 


	2. Chapter 2

Sunlight streamed into the bedroom through Dib’s window, painting the wooden floor in golden stripes. Dib nuzzled his pillow, groaning in annoyance as he opened his eyes and squinted against the bright sun. He stayed in bed for a few minutes before sitting up and stretching. He took his time getting dressed before walking into the bathroom and brushing his teeth. 

After he finished his morning routine, he walked downstairs, wondering if he’d be able to get some answers out of Zim today. He heard the familiar creak of the couch, and walked into the living room, frowning when he saw Zim staring at a corner as he rocked back and forth. The Irken had his knees hugged up close to his chest, and his eyes seemed to be focused on nothing. 

“Zim?” He said softly, arching an eyebrow. The green alien didn’t respond. “Zim? Hello? Zim!” Dib called his name a bit louder, and Zim seemed to snap out of his daydream. He looked panicked for a brief moment, but it was quickly replaced with a glare. “You okay?” Asked Dib, still frowning.

“Whether Zim is okay or not is none of your concern, Dib.” Muttered the Irken invader. Dib rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help feeling genuinely concerned for his old nemesis. He seemed to be suffering from some sort of mental trauma, but Dib wasn’t sure. After all, Zim still hadn’t given him any more information.

Dib shrugged, sighing as he walked back into the kitchen. He made himself a bowl of cereal and sat down at the table. As he ate, Dib was well aware of the alien’s gaze which was focused entirely on him. When he finished his bowl, he stood and placed the silverware and dish into the sink. “I need to get some things from the store,” he told Zim.

Zim rolled his eyes at this, but when Dib grabbed his keys and walked out of the door, he followed. As they walked outside, a harsh bark from the neighbor’s dog sent Zim into defense mode. He was immediately on edge, staring at the dog fearfully before quickly getting into the unlocked vehicle. Dib frowned. 

“Um, is there any way you can disguise yourself, Zim? You can’t exactly walk into the store looking like… Well-”

“I am well aware of that, human filth!” Spat Zim. He pressed a button on the thin band around his wrist that Dib hadn’t noticed before, and slowly Zim began to change. He now had dark black hair and baby blue eyes which stood out against his olive skin. He wore a ruby-colored hoodie, leggings, and combat boots as well as black fingerless gloves. Dib quickly looked him over, blushing faintly when he realized how attractive the alien’s human form was. He huffed softly and pulled out of the driveway. 

***

As they walked around the store, Dib noticed how anxious Zim was acting. He picked at his clothes and was constantly looking over his shoulder. He was on edge and paranoid, but Dib didn’t pay much attention to his behavior. As long as Zim wasn’t drawing attention to them, he was fine. Dib grabbed the stuff he needed and they made their way to the checkout. 

Suddenly, Zim’s face went pale. He quickly moved behind Dib in the checkout line, eyes widening. “We need to hurry, Dib.” He said quietly. The human male frowned. 

“What, why? What’s wrong?” No sooner than the words had come out of his mouth, Dib noticed that two strange-looking individuals had walked into the store. They looked human, but Dib could see right through them. No, they weren’t human. Their movements were too graceful, and they weren’t acting as normal humans would.

There was a man and a woman. The man held a device that looked like a cell phone in his hand, and he was wearing a trench coat in the middle of summer. Granted, Dib wore trench coats, but with the ever-increasing temperature of the summers, he tended to not wear them during this time of the year. The individuals both wore sunglasses and they were both dressed in dark clothes. They were looking for something… Or someone. 

Unsettled by this, Dib paid the cashier and they abruptly left the store with their bags unnoticed. Dib quickly put the bags in the backseat and hurriedly got into the car with Zim. He backed out of his parking spot, shifted gears, and drove away from the store. “Zim, who were they?” He asked worriedly.

“Again, that is none of your concern, Dib-thing!” Zim said shakily, still paranoid. He glanced over his shoulder again before looking at Dib, who sighed. 

“I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s wrong, and I’m not a mind reader,” said Dib. Zim frowned, his blue eyes immediately saddening. Reluctantly, the irken began to speak.

“The empire… It was overthrown.” His voice was quiet and he spoke carefully. Dib’s eyes widen. The Irken empire was overthrown? He hadn’t even known that was possible. “They came out of nowhere. The farthest corners of space. We hadn’t even known that they existed until we were attacked. They decimated half of the population, and took over most of the planets in our possession.” With that, Zim finished, taking a breath and crossing his arms. 

“W… What? How? Are you running away-”

This must’ve been the wrong thing to say because Zim was immediately defensive. “Zim does NOT run away, human!” He hissed angrily. Dib put up a hand in surrender, frowning. Zim sighed, relaxing again. He crossed his arms and gritted his teeth behind his lips. “I didn’t want to leave, but the Tallest banished me to Earth. They said I was… a liability.” He muttered, ashamed. 

Dib frowned deeply. “Well, that was a dumb decision on their part.” He said, attempting to reassure the alien. 

Zim shrugged his small shoulders. “Their word is law…” He said numbly. 

“Do you really want to be ruled by those assholes? I mean, they never seemed to be kind to you at all.” Dib commented, choosing his words carefully.

“An Irken’s job is to pledge their undying loyalty to the empire,” said Zim hesitantly. 

Frowning, Dib spoke up again. “You don’t sound too sure about that.”

Zim growled angrily, turning in his seat. “I could kill you, human! Right here, and right now! How dare you question my loyalty to my Tallest and the empire?!”

Frustrated, Dib grumbled, “Well, at least then you’d be doing me a favor…” This statement confused Zim, which calmed him down. A favor? How was killing him a favor? Surely Dib didn’t want to die…

After a painfully awkward drive back to the house, Dib parked in his driveway and got out of the car. Zim followed and watched calmly as Dib began to take the bags out of the backseat. They walked up to the door, and just as Dib was about to unlock it, a harsh ringing erupted from the human’s back pocket. 

Zim nearly jumped out of his skin, looking around wildly for the source of the harsh noise. Dib frowned, setting the bags in his right hand down before pulling out a cell phone from his back pocket. Zim sighed in relief as Dib answered. “Hello?”

“Hey, why’d you leave the store so quickly? I saw you and you didn’t even say goodbye!” There was a female on the other end of the line and for some reason, Zim didn’t like the way she whined to Dib. 

“Sorry, but my friend and I had to get out of there quickly.” Said Dib vaguely. He nodded toward the bags on the floor as he unlocked the door to the house. Zim rolled his eyes and grabbed the remaining two bags, walking inside. 

“Ooh, who’s your ‘friend’?” The girl asked suggestively. Zim didn’t like the suggestiveness of her tone, either. Just what exactly was this human female insinuating? Dib’s cheeks turned a soft pink, and he huffed. 

“No, Zim is just a friend-”

She gasped audibly on the other line. “The Zim? Like the one you talk about constantly?” Dib groaned in annoyance, unloading the groceries from the bags. 

“Yes, it’s him.” Zim gaped at Dib. If word spread that he was staying with Dib… This could end very badly. His eyes narrowed, and Dib didn’t miss the look. “Look, Kia, you can’t tell anybody about him being here, okay?” He smirked suddenly. “I mean, I know you’ve got a big mouth and all, but-”

“Oh, shut it, Dib!” She laughed. “But why can’t I tell anyone? I’m not gonna, but I’m just curious.” 

Dib sighed softly. “It’s… A long story.” He said. The other end of the line was silent for a few moments before ‘Kia’ spoke again. 

“My shift is almost over, I’ve got fifteen more minutes before I clock out. Come over to my place with Zim and tell me all about it.” She said. “I have to go, okay? Bye, Dib!” 

Dib said his goodbye and tapped the screen of the phone. “And just what exactly do you think you’re doing?!” Zim snapped. “I can’t go over there! Have you forgotten that I’m not human?!” The Irken was livid at this point, walking toward Dib with a glare. Dib held up his hands. 

“Zim, relax. She already knows…” He said cautiously, causing Zim to stop in his tracks. The alien huffed, crossing his arms. 

“Well, traitor,” he said angrily, “if word gets out that Zim is here with you, it will be much easier for the enemy to find me.” His voice was low, and the look of paranoia returned to his eyes. 

Dib sighed softly. “No, don’t worry. We can trust Kia. Now come on, we can put this stuff away later.” The human grabbed his keys and walked out of the door. Uncertain whether or not he should believe Dib, Zim followed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy, guys! Sorry for the long wait, I've been a very busy bee lately! <3 I'm slowly working on this story and will be uploading as soon as I get the chapters written out. I would ideally like to update once every one to two weeks, but I'm afraid I can't guarantee anything. 
> 
> Was super excited for the movie to come out, though, and made time for me to watch about half of it yesterday! No spoilers, please!
> 
> Don't forget to leave kudos and comment if you enjoyed, I'd love to hear what y'all think! Oh, and if you'd like to keep updated on this story, drop a bookmark! Thank you guys so much, and I will update when I can!
> 
> ~Purple_Merle


	3. Chapter 3

Dib slowly pulled into Kia’s driveway, and Zim was immediately studying the house. His eyes focused on the door, before flicking his eyes to each of the several windows in the front. He was formulating an escape plan just in case things went south with this... ‘Kia’. He snapped out of his thoughts when the car slowed to a stop and Dib unbuckled the seatbelt. 

“Come on, let’s go.” Said the human impatiently. He got out of the vehicle and made it halfway up the sidewalk before realizing Zim wasn’t following. He sighed. “Zim, seriously?”

“Zim has decided to stay in the car,” grumbled the Irken, crossing his arms over his chest. Dib rolled his eyes and opened Zim’s door. Thank god he doesn’t buckle up, thought Dib as he grabbed his alien friend by the wrist. He carefully yanked him out of the car and shut the door. Zim blushed faintly, realizing how much Dib had grown. 

Humans were funny, in that sense. They started out as these weak, defenseless smeets, and (possibly) grew into strong, almost frightening individuals. Dib wasn’t necessarily the latter, but he was definitely stronger than he was when he was twelve. Zim frowned, disliking how warm his face felt. Why was his face suddenly so warm, and why was it happening so often? He didn’t understand, but he wasn’t about to ask Dib of all people. 

Dib singles out one of the keys on his key chain and unlocks the front door. “Why do you have a key to her home?” Asked Zim, tilting his head. He looked down and noticed that Dib was still holding his wrist loosely. He yanked his wrist from his grasp, pouting. 

“I used to live with her,” replied Dib as he opened the door. He stepped inside, and Zim hesitated. He was looking the doorway over, examining the hinges when suddenly he was pulled inside by Dib. 

As Zim looked around the dim house (all the curtains were closed for some reason), Dib began to speak to break the awkward silence. “Y’know, I met Kia because of her father.” Zim tilted his head. 

“What does her father have to do with any of this?” Asked the alien. 

“Well, I worked under him for quite some time.” The human said, leading Zim into a living room. 

“Okay, and what exactly did he do?” Zim asked curiously.

“He was the president of a space company,” said Dib. Zim frowned deeply at this. What if Dib brought him here so Kia could call her father and take him? He wouldn’t let that happen, of course, but it was still a frightening thought.

Zim sighs shakily and sits down on the couch with Dib, vaguely aware of the human’s gaze. “Dib..? Why are you staring at me?” He asked. Dib’s cheeks turned pink and he looked away immediately. 

“S-Sorry.” He murmured awkwardly, getting quiet. Zim, who was still wearing his disguise, arched an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side. Dib swallowed faintly. Why did Zim’s disguise have to look like that? It wasn’t fair! “So… How did you even manage to get such a good disguise?” He asked. 

“Oh, this? It’s an experimental thing I did in my free time on Irk.” Zim explained, motioning to a thin band around his wrist. Funny, how hadn’t Dib noticed it before? 

“Well, it’s impressive,” the human said, gently taking Zim’s hand and lifting it a bit to examine the band up close. Zim felt his face heat up again and gritted his teeth behind his lips. He opened his mouth to ask Dib about his face when all of a sudden the door opened. Dib quickly dropped his hand and Zim felt himself frown at the loss. 

The girl in the doorway smiled brightly at Dib. “Hey, Dib!” She said happily before walking inside and closing the door. She smiled politely at Zim, introducing herself. “Name’s Kia, but you probably already knew that, huh?” Zim looked her over cautiously. She was dressed in a black shirt and leggings, and she still had her name tag on. “Dib used to talk about you all the time,” she said, offering a soft smile. Dib blushed darkly at this, shooting Kia a glare. 

“It wasn’t all the time! Sheesh!” He muttered, embarrassed. Zim smirked and laughed a bit at that. Maybe this Kia wasn’t so bad, and maybe he could trust her after all. Kia walked into the kitchen and turned on a light, asking Dib if he and Zim wanted anything to drink. Dib said that he’d just have some raspberry tea and that Zim couldn’t really drink anything. After she handed Dib one of the two cups of tea in her hands, she sat down in a chair and sipped the liquid. 

“So, what’s up? What’s going on?” She asked curiously. Dib looked over at Zim and sighed, nodding to him. 

“I’m sure Dib has already told you about the existence of the Irken Empire?” He said. Kia nodded. “Well, it was taken over and I was forced to leave my home planet. We left the grocery store so quickly because we spotted two enemy soldiers. They were clever enough to disguise themselves, but… I could see them from a mile away.” He murmured, frowning as he looked down at his lap. 

“Do you think that, maybe, you’re being tracked?” She asked, sipping her tea again. Zim frowned at her question. He didn’t like that… The male did have a strange device that he’d never seen before, but what could they even be tracking? His PAK didn’t emit an electronic signal, and he’d spent enough time on Earth to know how to act like a human. He didn’t stick out unless he spoke, and even then, he’d only been on Earth for a day or two. 

“I… I’m not sure exactly, but… he did have a device in his hands, and he was looking at it pretty intently.” He said. Dib nodded, looking up immediately. 

“Yeah, I saw it! I remember him holding it when we left.” 

Zim frowned. “We need to get that device and see how they’re tracking me if they even are.” He looked up, huffing. “Their technology isn’t as advanced as ours, and I think the device has delayed coordinates of my location. I’ve been here for almost two days now, and they only seemed to have my location when we got to the store.”

Kia smirked suddenly, and Dib groaned. “Why are you making that face…?” Dib asked. 

“I’ve got an idea!” Chirped the human female. Zim looked over at Dib, frowning uneasily.

“Okay… What’s your idea?” Asked Dib. Kia laughed quietly, running a hand through her curly hair. 

“Well, it involves getting Zim a fake ID…”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy! I'm absolutely blown away by the number of comments, kudos, and hits I've gotten on this story! It's still in its very early stages, but I'm having so much fun planning out and writing all these chapters! Thank you guys so much for your continued support! <3
> 
> In this chapter, we meet Kia, who's my friend's character. We'll be seeing a lot more of her soon, and I hope you guys like her! 
> 
> Don't forget to drop a comment or kudos, and stay tuned for more!
> 
> ~Purple_Merle


	4. Chapter 4

Dib frowned deeply as he waited for Zim and Kia to come out of her room. After Kia explained her idea, which was to take Zim to a club downtown to see if the tracker would pick up his location, she took them to meet her friend who had provided her with fake IDs in the past. Dib didn’t want to know why she needed a fake ID so he didn’t ask, but after getting one for Zim she drove them back home and took the Irken invader upstairs. She said that he needed better clothes suited for a club so he wouldn’t stand out, and Zim agreed with her. 

He hated waiting. He had no idea what kind of clothes Kia was making him try on, and poor Zim wouldn’t know either. Dib was also pretty sure that Zim had no idea about the concept of sexuality, and he couldn’t help but feel sorry for the Irken. Why had he agreed to this idea again?   
  


He looked up as he heard Kia’s door open. When Zim, still in his human disguise, walked down the stairs Dib felt his jaw slacken a bit. His eyes widened as he looked the Irken over. Zim was wearing a pair of Kia’s shorts (Dib had always thought they were a bit too short) and one of her loose tank tops. Dib blushed faintly, clearing his throat; he’d never seen so much skin on Zim. 

He definitely wasn’t entranced, no way.

“U-Um, so, are we ready?” He asked, rubbing the back of his neck. Zim arched a brow and tilted his head when he caught Dib stutter but said nothing. 

“Yep! We’re ready for a night out on the town!” Giggled Kia, winking at Dib subtly. Dib made a mental note to himself to yell at Kia later. Zim sighed softly.

“Yes, the sooner we get this over with the better,” muttered the Irken. They walked outside and got into their separate cars. Kia drove by herself (Dib wanted to chew her out for that, too, but he managed to keep his cool), and he and Zim got into his car. As he drove, Dib kept glancing over at Zim, particularly at his legs. Why did he have to look so good in those shorts? 

***

They arrived at the club and got out of their cars, walking through the parking lot together. Kia smiled at the bouncer and they all showed their IDs. Thank god Zim wasn’t holding his upside-down, thought Dib with a faint smile. The bouncer eyed Zim suspiciously, but opened the door for them and let them in. 

Zim frowned immediately when they entered the building. It was dimly lit inside, which wasn’t really the worst thing. After all, Zim could see better in the dark than most humans, so that didn’t bother him much. What did unsettle him, however, was the blaring music, strobing lights, and the sea of writhing human bodies. The humans congregated together, their bodies twisting and turning to the music. 

Zim was pulled from his thoughts when Kia spoke. “I’m gonna head to the bar, okay? Text me when you see him.” She sauntered up to a counter and sat down on one of the stools, giving Dib a thumbs up before turning around. Zim gulped faintly and turned his attention back to the dancing humans. 

“So, do you… Want a drink or something?” Asked Dib. Zim scoffed and shook his head. 

“I can’t drink, fool,” Zim said. Dib seemed to ponder this for a moment before smiling, gently grabbing Zim’s hand and leading him toward the dance floor. Zim immediately panicked, his eyes widening as he looked up at Dib. “What are you doing?!” He said quickly. 

“You said you can’t drink, but I know something you can do!” Dib said happily. 

Zim immediately shook his head. “I-I don’t know how to-”   
  


“I’ll teach you! Now come on, follow my lead, okay?” He smiled warmly, and together they began to move to the music. Zim, being the natural researcher that he is, examined the other humans closely. It didn’t seem… too difficult to do. A little disgusting, but not necessarily bad. He eventually began to dance with Dib. After all, he was a quick learner and if this is what humans did at ‘clubs’, he’d be damned if he didn’t do it too just to fit in. 

Zim blushed faintly as a girl bumped into him, pushing him closer to Dib. He turned to say something and he tensed slightly when Dib placed his hands on his hips. He leaned close to Zim and whispered just loud enough for Zim to hear, “Relax, it’s alright.” Zim shuddered and continued dancing. 

Zim bit his lip. Why was he feeling this way? His insides felt all… fluttery. Was he going to be sick? He gasped softly as his hips were pulled flush against Dib’s, shocked by how pleasant it felt to be closer to the human. What was Dib doing?! Surely the other humans would notice how close they were. 

Slowly, his tension melted away as he realized the other humans were doing the same thing. Many of the humans were grinding against each other, their bodies glistening in the strobing lights. The air, Zim noted, was thick and almost sticky with the scent of pheromones. He started moving his hips with Dib’s, huffing as he felt the human’s breath on the back of his neck. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to sway with the music. 

***

Kia hummed softly as she watched the door with a smirk. Dib and Zim were too occupied to text her when they saw the enemy, so she was keeping watch herself. When the door opened and a strange man walked inside, her eyes narrowed with determination. “Showtime,” she murmured, adjusting her shirt. She made direct eye contact with the alien male and waved him over. 

He slowly made his way over, crossing his arms and arching a confused brow. “Have we met before?” She asks above the music, finishing her first drink. He shook his head.

“I don’t believe we have,” he said, voice deep. Kia pouted. 

“Are you sure? I think I’d recognize a handsome face like yours.” She purred seductively. 

“Well, I’m not usually one to come to places like this.” He said, sitting beside her. “I figured I’d indulge for a bit.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out what looked like almost identical to a cellphone, but Kia knew better. How was she going to get her hands on that device?

As he looked at the device intently, Kia smiled. “Wanna dance?” She asked, winking when he looked up at her again. He hummed thoughtfully, looking her over. 

“I don’t dance, I’m afraid,” he said, “but I’d love to buy you a drink.” Kia pouted a bit. Her plan was to make him drop the device while they danced, but that clearly wasn’t happening. He slipped the device into his jacket pocket, and she noticed how it barely fit. She smirked.

“Sure,” she purred, “as long as you’re buying!” 

They drank a few rounds, and Kia huffed. She was starting to feel a little buzzed. Maybe drinking wasn’t such a good idea. She was never one for alcohol, and her tolerance was pathetically low; she couldn’t keep this up for much longer. The disguised alien hummed softly, standing. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back.” He said, walking toward the restrooms. 

Kia waited patiently and smirked triumphantly when the device fell from his pocket, the clatter drowned out by the music. Once the male was out of view, she shot a quick text to Dib and got up, picking up the device and turning it over in her hand. It was definitely a tracking device; there was a map on the screen and on the map a red dot blinked repeatedly. “Got it!” She whispered triumphantly to herself, making her way to the dance floor. 

“Hey, lover boy, I got it!” She said to Dib, smirking when he abruptly pulled away from Zim. Zim pouted but perked up immediately once he realized it was Kia. 

“Did you get it?” Asked the Irken eagerly. 

“Yeah. We need to get out of here before he comes back from the bathroom.” She said, nodding quickly. Quickly making their way to the exit, Kia turned to Dib. “I’ll take this home and study it tonight; see if I can hack into it and see how they’re tracking Zim.” Dib nodded, leading Zim out of the building with Kia. 

“Alright, text me when you figure it out.” He said. Kia promised she would, and got into her car. After she drove off, Zim and Dib got into Dib’s car. Zim couldn't help himself and sighed in relief. “What’s wrong?” Asked Dib as he started the car. 

“That music was way too loud,” muttered Zim, crossing his arms. Dib chuckled and pulled out of the parking lot, driving onto the highway. Zim huffed in annoyance. He should be happy; they got the device, and now the enemy couldn’t track him, but the only thing on his mind was the feeling of Dib’s hips against his. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy, everyone! Decided to post chapter four a little early! I'm still in shock that we broke 1k hits, haha! 
> 
> I absolutely adore this story, and I can't wait to post chapter five! Everything for that chapter is almost planned out, so I should be posting it soon, possibly in the next 3-6 days! <3 I also wanted to ask if you guys would be interested in following a twitter or an Instagram account where I'd update you guys about upcoming chapters? If that's something you guys would be interested in, let me know in the comments!
> 
> Don't forget to leave some kudos! Thank you guys for reading, and stay tuned for chapter five! 
> 
> ~Purple_Merle_Writes (New user)


	5. Chapter 5

The drive home from the club was painfully awkward. Dib said nothing to Zim, who was too stubborn to say anything first himself, and they just sat in silence. Dib had turned on the radio, unable to handle the silence but also unable to work up the courage to speak. He continued to tell himself that they were just acting, and even if they weren’t they were just dancing. They were blending in. 

Dib would be stupid though if he denied the fact that not only was Zim a good dancer but that he was a quick learner too. He couldn’t help but think about what other things Zim would quickly pick up on, and he mentally kicked himself. He reminded himself that Zim was barely his friend and that they’d only started talking civilly to each other in the eighth grade. He shouldn’t be thinking about Zim like that, and he hated it. 

Although, before Zim left (which was in the middle of freshman year), Dib remembered fantasizing about Zim quite a few times. He kept this to himself of course, because his dad wasn’t exactly on board. Gaz had come out when she turned thirteen, and their dad had shunned her for it. If their dad, who had always loved Gaz more than he loved Dib, wouldn’t accept Gaz’s sexuality there was no way he’d accept Dib’s. If Dib was being totally honest with himself, he didn’t know exactly what his sexuality was, even. That is, until recently. He’d finally come to terms with the fact that he was into guys, and even embraced it. After the many years of oppression from their father, Dib and Gaz had moved out the moment they graduated, and they were now living happily.

Before Dib knew it, they were parked inside the garage and getting out of the car. Zim visibly shuddered and immediately rubbed his arms. Dib hummed softly, “You cold?” 

The Irken soldier sneered. “We rely on the environment to regulate our temperatures.” He muttered as Dib quickly unlocked the door. Dib let him in first before following. 

“How come your PAK doesn’t do that?” He asked Zim curiously. 

“Irk is always warm,” said Zim, “so it never had to.” 

Dib nodded, closing and locking the door. Zim rubbed his arms slightly; it didn’t take much to chill him to the bone, but he wouldn’t admit that to Dib. Unfortunately, Dib seemed to catch on rather quickly. “I can get you a warmer shirt to wear,” he said. 

Zim sighed. If he was going to be here for a while there was no point in making himself miserable. “Fine, Dib-thing… I shall accept your offer.” He grumbled. He definitely wasn’t a fan of letting his guard down, but Dib didn’t seem to have bad intentions. Of course, after the raging war with the enemy race, he wasn’t sure who he could trust. Dib, however, was obviously not involved with the other race and had no reason to hurt Zim. Maybe, just maybe, he would even come to enjoy Dib’s company. 

Okay, that was pushing it a little far. 

Dib led him upstairs and down the hallway. Zim had never been up here before, so he examined the pictures on a decorative stand. One was of Dib, presumably the photo that the high school required ‘seniors’ to take during their last year of education. That was one of the many things Zim didn’t understand about high school; they took photos every year to put in a book, and there were dances such as ‘homecoming’ and ‘prom’ that were basically the same thing. He just didn’t see the reason for spending the monies required to throw such dances when the school could barely afford supplies. After all, the humans most likely wouldn’t even remember it in their later years, so what was the point?

Another photo was of Dib and Gaz, taken on Dib’s phone. Zim remembered this one because he remembered how annoyed Gaz was about Dib wanting a photo with her. Dib took it on his cellular device at the park. Zim had been walking GIR, then… He frowned at the thought of his robot. What was GIR doing now? Was he being taken care of? He hadn’t even noticed that he’d stopped walking until Dib cleared his throat loudly.

“Come on, this is my room.” Said Dib, nodding to the door he was in front of. “I’m gonna take a shower real quick, so just get into the closet and pick out whatever you want.” With that, Dib walked further down the hallway and disappeared into another room, closing the door behind him. Zim rolled his eyes and stepped into Dib’s room. 

He looked around, examining everything with interest. There were two windows, and under one window sat Dib’s bed. The sheets were dark blue, and the pillows were about the same color. Under the other window was a desk. On top of the desk sat a computer that seemed to be powered down, and a small bookshelf sat to the right of the desk, fitting perfectly in the corner. The carpet was a soft white, and the walls were painted a calming blue. He must really like the color blue, Zim thought. 

He turned around and opened the closet doors, choosing a ‘hoodie. As he changed into the hoodie, he couldn’t help but blush when he caught Dib’s scent. Whatever laundry detergent he used smelled amazing. Zim bit his bottom lip, immediately recalling the scent of Dib at the club. They had been so close to each other that Zim could smell whatever cologne he used, and that smelled amazing too. 

He swallowed faintly, his mouth suddenly feeling a bit dry, and became vaguely aware of how uncomfortable the shorts were becoming. He huffed, adjusting the shorts slightly. They were nowhere near this tight before, why now? And why was his face on fire again? He searched his PAK for data regarding the situation, but everything seemed fine. His heart rate and his temperature had risen a bit, but there wasn’t any definitive reason why. Zim groaned in frustration and started to pace back and forth. 

***

In the shower, Dib sighed softy. He felt his cheeks heat up as he thought about the feeling of Zim pressed up against him, and he cursed under his breath. He really shouldn’t be thinking of Zim like that. Zim was one of his friends (debatably), and he wasn’t even human. Dib was in some deep shit, and yet he couldn’t find the will to dig himself out. If only Zim’s human disguise wasn’t so damn pretty. Yes, Dib was totally going to blame this on Zim’s upgraded disguise. 

With a frustrated groan, Dib finished washing off and turned off the water, stepping out onto the rug. He rubbed his feet against the rug to dry them and grabbed a towel, drying off his body. He found himself thinking about Zim again and shook his head, flinging little droplets of water onto whatever was around him. He pulled on a pair of boxers as well as a pair of sweatpants and a simple cotton shirt. He dried his hair with the towel before slicking it back and dropping the towel into the hamper. 

He left the bathroom and walked into his bedroom, and he knew immediately that something was bothering Zim. He also knew that Zim looked pretty damn cute in one of his hoodies, but that was marginally less important. “Hey, are you alright?” He asked, startling the Irken. 

Zim whipped his head around, and Dib could definitely see a blush on the disguised alien’s cheeks. “I… I don’t know,” admitted Zim, wrapping his arms around his torso. Dib frowned and cautiously stepped closer. Zim looked up at him, meeting his amber gaze with soft blue eyes. Dib blushed faintly himself when Zim let out a small huff, lips parting, and he quickly looked away.    
  


“I-I’ll just… It’s late, huh? We should… You don’t sleep… Shit…” Dib rambled, fumbling with his words. He turned around to open the door for Zim when the Irken grabbed his wrist with a gentle hand. Dib turned his head, speaking in a soft voice, “What, Zim-”

“I… I think I want to dance… Like we did in that club.” Zim whispered, his voice barely audible. If Dib was blushing before, then surely his face was red as blood now. 

“W-What?! Why?” He asked curiously, stuttering. Zim frowned at Dib’s reaction and bit his bottom lip.

“I don’t know!” The alien male snapped defensively. Dib held up his hands in defense and Zim sighed. “I… enjoyed it.” He murmured, blushing darkly. Dib blushed too and he couldn’t believe that he was hearing those words come out of Zim’s mouth. It was almost cute that Zim enjoyed dancing, but considering that they were basically grinding against each other at a nightclub, he wasn’t sure that it could be considered ‘cute’. 

Dib huffed softly, looking down at the shorter male. He couldn’t exactly deny it anymore; he’d fallen head over heels for Zim who wasn’t even human. He probably didn’t even know what love or lust even was, but for once Dib decided to throw his moral compass out of the window. If Zim wanted to stop, they’d stop. This wasn’t any different, and consent still mattered. After all, he didn’t want to scare the poor thing. 

“Y’know… ever since high school, I’ve wanted to do this. I always thought that it was just fascination and a love for science, but… I was wrong.” Dib murmured, lifting Zim’s chin.

Zim blushed darkly. Why had he never felt this way before, and why was he enjoying it? His cheeks felt incredibly warm, and when Dib brushed his thumb across his bottom lip, he felt his stomach get all fuzzy. He shouldn’t be enjoying this!

“I-I don’t know how…” Zim trailed off. That was a lie; he left toward the middle of what the humans called ‘freshman year’ in ‘high school’, so he’d heard the other kids talk about disgusting things that humans did in order to… reproduce. This was different though because Zim was male and so was Dib. Would this even work? How would it work? 

“Just relax. I’ll take care of you, I promise,” Dib whispered softly, leaning down and pressing his lips gently against Zim’s. Zim felt his entire face heat up, and his eyes fluttered closed. He slowly kissed back, his hands finding their way to Dib’s chest. Dib slowly placed his hands on his hips, his tongue swiping across Zim’s bottom lip. Zim found himself parting his lips and lapping back at Dib’s tongue.

As things got increasingly warmer, Dib had somehow ended up sitting on the bed with Zim in his lap. Dib slowly slid his hands around to Zim’s ass, blushing faintly as he began to knead at the soft flesh. Zim let out a soft moan, breaking the heated kiss to frown nervously. Dib chuckled faintly, and Zim took note of how dark his eyes were. His pupils had expanded a bit, and in the dim light from the lamp, they looked incredibly dark. “It’s alright if you make noises, Zim. I promise.” He smiled reassuringly, and Zim felt his heart flutter.

The Irken shivered as he felt Dib’s lips brush against his neck. He ran his hand through Dib’s hair, gripping it gently for some sense of stability, and gasped as the human nipped at his neck. Dib’s hands slipped under the hoodie Zim was wearing, curious fingertips sliding over his skin. Zim arched into his touch, blushing darkly. “I wanna see you, Zim…” whispered Dib. Zim was confused by this statement at first (after all, he was in the human’s lap, so he was pretty certain Dib could see him), but he bit his lip once it clicked. 

He leaned back, putting some pace in between them and shyly slipped off the hoodie, dropping it onto the floor. Dib gently kissed down Zim’s neck, nipping at the spot where his shoulder met his neck. Zim gasped softly in surprise when Dib slowly ground his hips against his.

There was something about that motion that just felt so… right. Irkens hadn’t mated in years. In fact, that behavior had been programmed out of the race almost entirely, and yet it was almost as if the primal instinct was still there in the back of his mind. Perhaps it was just a defect, but for once Zim couldn’t care less. He wanted all of Dib, and he wasn’t about to play games any longer. 

The smaller male slid off of Dib’s lap and pulled the human down on top of him by the collar of his shirt. He purred faintly in amusement when Dib’s eyes widened slightly, finally giving in to his instincts. He playfully hooked one of his lithe legs around Dib’s hips, smirking faintly. “Z-Zim?” Dib questioned curiously.

“You may continue, Dib,” the Irken purred, voice dripping with desire. Dib smirked faintly himself, and obliged, grinding his hips against Zim’s to elicit another one of those beautiful moans. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter is up! Phew! I'm sorry it took me so long to pump this one out; life kinda got in the way of writing, but that's no excuse! In this chapter, Zim basically has a small existential crisis in regards to his existence and what he is, but hey! Don't we all?
> 
> I'll try to get chapter six up soon, but I'm not making any promises, haha! I was actually supposed to have up to chapter eight written, but as I said, life just isn't fair to me and y'all sometimes! T-T
> 
> Anyway, if you enjoyed, please feel free to leave a kind comment or some kudos! Hell, if you've even got some CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, I'd greatly appreciate it. You can always improve!
> 
> ~Purple_Merle_Writes


	6. Chapter 6

Zim blushed darkly as Dib paused his rolling hips to slide his shirt off. Zim bit his lip, looking the human over thoroughly. As much as he hated to admit it, human anatomy was quite interesting, and he did enjoy examining the faintly toned muscles of Dib’s abdomen. He slowly placed a hand on Dib’s chest, over his heart, before sliding it down over his stomach. Dib chuckled faintly at this, a faint blush dusting his fair cheeks. “Enjoying yourself?” Asked the human. 

When Zim pouted, Dib slowly closed the gap between them and pressed his lips against Zim’s. The Irken quickly kissed back, wrapping his arms around Dib’s neck. He dragged his nails up Dib’s spine lightly, causing the human to groan lowly. Dib bit the Irken’s bottom lip gently before slipping a hand between his legs, pressing his palm against the male’s length. Zim’s eyes rolled closed and he gasped softly as the human’s palm worked him into arousal (which admittedly wasn’t hard; he was already very worked up). 

Zim had never really experienced anything like this before. Of course, he’d heard stories from the other adolescents at the high school, but he’d never actually experienced it himself. Despite being a defective (and he was just starting to get used to accepting his identity), he’d never dreamed of exploring his own body the way Dib was exploring it. He was actually rather disturbed by his own anatomy, but Dib didn’t seem phased at all. Instead, the human’s eyes were filled with curiosity and another emotion that Zim couldn’t quite name. 

“Zim? Would you mind… Can I remove…?” He trailed off nervously, tugging at one of the loops on the shorts he was wearing. Zim blushed darkly and nodded, swallowing faintly. Dib quickly undid the button of the shorts and slowly slid the zipper down. Arousal, Zim noted, was a funny thing; when Dib was touching him, he wanted him to move slower and make it last, but now as Dib was undressing him, Zim had to refrain from begging the human to speed up. 

Dib gently slid the shorts down his lithe legs and tossed them to the floor. He was well aware that Zim hated being observed so closely, but he couldn’t help himself. Zim was beautiful, a perfect mix between lean and muscular and despite his small size it was obvious he was created to kill. Dib had taken quite a few hits and kicks from Zim when they were younger, and Zim was undoubtedly a hard hitter. The power he held in his small body wasn’t to be reckoned with. 

Zim blushed darkly as Dib looked him over, and he sneered. “Stop staring, Dib-thing!” He said, irritated. Dib chuckled faintly, smiling fondly at the smaller male. 

“I can’t help it; you're beautiful,” he murmured.

“Zim knows…” said the Irken with a pout. Dib just smiled warmly before biting his lip and palming at Zim’s length again. Zim actually moaned this time and let his head fall back. Dib smirked faintly at this and brushed his fingers over the head of Zim’s cock, causing Zim to buck his hips and pant faintly.

“You ready to take these off? I mean, I’m loving your reactions, but I think I could get more out of you if you got rid of these.” Said Dib. Zim rolled his eyes and blushed darkly.

“Of course, just shut up! God, you’re so obnoxious.” Murmured the alien. As Zim began to remove his undergarments, Dib quickly moved himself to the side. He sat down and slid his sweats from his legs, removing his boxers as well. Zim blushed darkly as he dropped the clothing onto the floor, eyes focused on Dib. They followed the contours of the human’s body down to his erect length. Dib wasn’t strongly chiseled like some human males were, but Zim honestly preferred this. 

Dib nestled his body between Zim’s legs again, and the Irken blushed darkly. “Enjoying the view?” Questioned Dib, amused by Zim’s flushed cheeks. Zim shyly nodded and looked up at Dib, biting his bottom lip. The human pressed his lips against Zim’s again, capturing his lips in a gentle kiss. Dib rolled his hips against him, and Zim moaned against his mouth. Gasping breathlessly, Zim hooked a leg around Dib. 

Dib broke the kiss and bit his own bottom lip. “Are you sure you want to do this, Zim?” He asked. 

“Stop stalling, Dib,” said Zim softly. 

“Will you be okay?” The human questioned further. Zim tilted his head. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I don’t want to hurt you…” Dib murmured. 

“I’ll be fine. Now shut up and do it.” Purred Zim, smirking lightly. Dib blushed darkly and nodded, lining his member up with Zim’s entrance. The Irken gasped softly as Dib pressed into him, gripping the sheets beneath him. Dib groaned deeply, hips flush against Zim’s, and waited patiently for him to adjust. 

Zim gave him a subtle nod and bit his lip as Dib pulled out almost all the way before pressing back in. Zim moaned lowly, head tilting back against the pillows. He blushed darkly as he slowly got used to the feeling of Dib moving inside of his body. It was odd, no doubt about that, but it was also oddly addicting. The sensation was strange but pleasant, and Zim found himself desperately wanting more. 

He knew what was happening. He knew that he was committing treason, and he knew that he should be repulsed by this sexuality, but at the same time, he welcomed it. This terrified Zim, but he was too focused on these new feelings and sensations to care. “Dib, please!” He panted, throwing his pride out of the window as he practically begged for Dib to move faster. “Faster…”

Dib groaned lowly and complied, moving his hips faster as he watched Zim’s expression. His eyes were closed and his lips were parted, soft, needy moans spilling from deep within his throat, and God… If that wasn’t a beautiful sight, Dib wasn’t sure what was. He also knew that what they were doing was wrong; Zim was an alien. They were supposedly mortal enemies (but Dib didn’t really consider Zim an enemy anymore), and they had only spent a few days together since Zim had left all those years ago, but Dib disregarded all of these facts. 

He’d had a crush on Zim since the eighth grade, and when Zim up and left freshman year, he’d been devastated. He remembered Gaz calling him a lovesick puppy, and he also remembered yelling at her for saying it. His dad wasn’t any better; at least Gaz wasn’t homophobic and abusive as hell (the last thing was debatable, Dib thought). His dad had sent him away for Junior year to a boarding school just because he’d been fed up with him. His dad had told him that he was making the biggest mistake of his life by “deciding” to be into guys (even though he tried to explain to his father it wasn’t a decision), and when Dib had turned eighteen, he couldn’t have been more happy to move out. 

He was pulled from his thoughts when Zim moaned particularly loudly and whispered his name. “Dib! Ah, something… something feels funny!” Whimpered the Irken. 

“I-It’s fine, Zim, It’s supposed to happen.” He promised, gritting his teeth as he felt his own release closing in. Dib began to pound into Zim’s willing body, causing the Irken to cry out softly. Dib reached down between their bodies, wrapping his hand around Zim’s neglected cock and pumping steadily in time with his thrusts. Zim moaned loudly, blushing darkly as he spilled his load onto his stomach. Dib moaned lowly, stilling his hips as he released as well. They panted together as they slowly came down from their high.

Dib slowly pulled out of the panting Irken’s body, lying next to him as he caught his breath as well. He met Zim’s gaze, but the Irken frowned and turned his back to him. Dib’s eyes widened in confusion before realization hit him. Zim felt nothing towards him, he’d just used him for experimentation. He used him to satiate his own curiosity. He used him. 

Dib huffed and turned his back as well. Of course, he shouldn’t have expected anything else from Zim. 

Zim, on the other hand, was occupied with something else entirely; he’d committed treason. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to split this scene into two spicy chapters! While I'm personally all for longer chapters, I know these smaller ones are easier to digest. 
> 
> Not much to say about this chapter, but I wanted to thank you all in general for the continued support! I really, really like the pacing of this fic, and I think it might be my favorite and (debatably) best one yet! 
> 
> Thank y'all so much for reading! Feel free to leave a comment or kudos on this work, and don't forget to keep an eye out for future chapters! (Also, if you guys want me to, I'll make an account on Twitter or Instagram to keep you guys updated more thoroughly! Let me know!)
> 
> ~Purple_Merle_Writes


	7. Chapter 7

Dib woke up the next morning, sunlight streaming in through the gap between his curtains and pooling onto the floor. He yawned, stretching out his legs, and became vaguely aware of the absence of the warmth that was next to him last night. He groaned faintly when he remembered; he had fallen asleep on Zim. 

Dib got out of bed and dressed quickly. He pulled on a pair of black ripped skinny jeans (getting frustrated when his feet got stuck through the holes) and a simple dark grey t-shirt. He’d never gotten dressed so fast in his life, and he rushed downstairs without brushing his teeth. He found Zim pacing in the living room, deep in thought with a scowl on his face. “Zim, I’m sorry-”

“You… You!” Zim snarled angrily, turning on Dib. “You made me commit treason!” He snapped. Dib frowned deeply, brows furrowed in confusion. 

“What the hell are you talking about?” Asked Dib. 

Zim shook his head, ruby eyes narrowed. “I broke the law. I broke Irken law!” He said repeatedly. “You despicable human scum; I should’ve never slept with you!” He snapped, infuriated and not thinking of the repercussions of his words. Dib’s jaw dropped.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Zim?!” He yelled. Zim flinched when he raised his voice, but he didn’t care. “You were the one practically begging for me last night, so I don’t want to hear it!” This time, Zim’s jaw dropped and he blushed darkly. Dib huffed and roughly grabbed his jacket from the coat hanger on the wall as well as his keys. 

Zim frowned deeply. “Where are you going?” He asked. Dib glared over his shoulder. 

“None of your business, you brat!” He snapped, walking out of the house. He slammed the front door, and Zim flinched again. This was fine, Zim told himself. He didn’t need Dib; he didn’t need anyone!

***

Dib walked into the garage and unlocked his car. He didn’t really intend on going anywhere, but he needed some time to think. Why would Zim say something like that? He was the one who begged for it, after all! It wasn’t his fault Zim was impulsive and didn’t think before he acted. Besides, he’d asked him plenty of times if he wanted to stop and Zim said no. He groaned in frustration, rubbing his face. He needed to call Kia.

He pulled out his phone and dialed her number, hoping he wouldn’t be waking her up. “Hello?” She yawned on the other end of the line. 

“Hey, Kia,” he sighed. 

“Everything alright? You sound angry. Also, why are you up this early?” She asked curiously. 

“That’s not important right now. Did you find anything important on that device?” He asked.

Kia hummed on the other end and nodded. “Yeah, well, I didn’t find out how they were tracking Zim exactly.” She said. Dib frowned and chewed on his lip. “But, I did find some other things… When I figured out that I could plug the device into the USB port on my laptop, I did, and some weird folder popped up on my screen.” 

Dib tilted his head. “A folder? You’d think they’d be more technologically advanced…” He murmured. 

“I’m thinking that’s just how the folder was converted to fit onto my laptop.” Said Kia. “Anyway, I opened the folder and found some files and a program like Google Maps inside.” Dib listened intently. 

“So they’ve got a map of Earth, or at least of this area, but how are they tracking Zim?” 

Kia shrugged, pressing the speaker button on her phone’s screen and opening the weird folder on her laptop. “I have no idea.” She said.

“Okay, what’s in the files?” He asked her. Kia got quiet for a moment as she opened the file, before speaking again.

“Oh my god, Dib… They’re all profiles… Like, of Irkens. It has their jobs, social status in the hierarchy, and whether they’re effective or defective,” Kia murmured, eyes widening. 

“Is… Is Zim in there?” Dib asked. Before Kia could answer, Dib heard the sound of someone knocking on the front door. “Kia, someone’s knocking. I’ll be right back.” He set his phone down in the cupholder. He got out of the car and shut the door, peeking out of the garage. His eyes widened when he saw the enemy aliens from before (wearing their human disguises of course). 

“Hey!” He said, trying to sound confused instead of aggressive. He made his way toward them and put up his hands defensively when the female pointed some sort of gun in his direction. “Don’t shoot-”

She pulled the trigger and Dib yelped as a dart stuck in his leg. Before he could pull the dart out, whatever the damned thing was laced with began to quickly make its way through his system. He stumbled before falling to his hands and knees. “Agh, what… the hell?!” He hissed through gritted teeth as his vision blurred. As the world started to fade around him, he could only watch helplessly as they picked the lock and entered his house.

***

Zim slowly regained consciousness, looking around in confusion. He quickly realized he was tied to a beam upside down in some sort of warehouse. His head pounded as he slowly looked around, remembering exactly what had happened to him; the enemy had broken into Dib’s house and attacked him, overpowering him and injecting some sort of sedative into his bloodstream. He cursed himself for being so foolish and unaware of his surroundings. 

“I have to get out of here,” he whispered to himself. Luckily, they didn’t do anything to prevent his PAK legs from extending, so he used those. He swiped one of the sharp edges against the rope tied around his ankles and used his hands to break his fall. He winced as the impact jarred his body, carefully lowering himself to the floor. 

Just as he was about to walk for one of the windows, his antennae perked as they picked up the vibrations of voices. He didn’t know what compelled him to walk towards the voices (maybe it was curiosity or just plain idiocy), but he found himself silently placing one foot in front of the other. As he got closer, he recognized the language of his enemy. Over the years, he’d pieced together a few things and picked up on words, and therefore was able to piece together what they were talking about.

He heard a few keywords such as “Irken”, “defective”, and “examine”, and slowly backed away. They wanted to examine Irken defectives, he concluded, and the thought confused. Why? Defectives weren’t nearly as useful as effective Irkens, and he just couldn’t see the reasoning behind it. 

He jumped and yelped, covering his mouth quickly to muffle it, when he bumped into a stack of boxes, sending them (and their contents) crashing to the floor. He cursed under his breath and the voices stopped. He could practically feel the color drain from his face, and his PAK was quick to alert him when his heart rate quickened. The door opened slowly, revealing the two enemy aliens. Zim clenched his jaw and narrowed his ruby-colored eyes. 

Their skin was as blue as Earth’s sky and patterned with dots and stripes, and their eyes were pale (almost white) yet filled with a dark determination to get things done. They were oddly beautiful, in a sense, but Zim couldn’t shake the image of their fellow soldiers with Irken blood on their hands. They were savage and cruel, unrelenting in their ways. He hated them with a passion, terrified of being their next victim and determined to make sure that never happened.

The pair began to walk toward him, and Zim cursed under his breath…

***

Dib was vaguely aware of someone shaking him as well as the texture of the grass pressed against against his cheek. His vision was foggy when he opened his eyes, and he felt around for his glasses. “Dib, come on, you need to get up.” He recognized Kia’s voice and everything came flooding back. Zim had been captured and taken away to God knows where. He sat up with a soft groan, putting on his glasses. “Are you okay?” She asked. 

“Yeah, I’m fine, but they took Zim.” He said quickly, adjusting his glasses.

“They were gone when I got here… Do you have any idea where they might’ve taken him?” Kia asked worriedly. Dib shook his head, growling in frustration. 

“How are we going to find him?!” He said, running a hand through his hair. They both jumped when something went off in Kia’s back pocket. Kia pulled out the strange device that they’d been trying to decode earlier, and her eyes widened. 

“Dib, the map application is open,” she murmured. Dib’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “And… There’s a red dot on the map by what looks like the old glass factory!” She gasped. 

Dib’s eyes narrowed. “Then that’s how we’re going to track him!” He said as Kia helped him to his feet. The dart in his leg had fallen out a long time ago, so he didn’t even have to worry about that as they rushed to Kia’s car. Don’t worry Zim, we’re on our way, he thought. Dib got into the passenger side and buckled his belt. “Hurry, Kia! We don’t know how much time we have!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter done! We finally get to "meet" the aliens responsible for the almost-fall of the Irken empire! Zim is not happy, but he's also terrified because he's seen what they're capable of. Dib and Kia to the rescue!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Please feel free to leave a comment or kudos, and don't forget to keep an eye on this story for more updates in the future! 
> 
> ~Purple_Merle_Writes


	8. Chapter 8

Zim let out a soft grunt as the alien male grabbed him by the throat, slamming his head painfully against the wall. He frowned deeply immediately grasping the other alien’s wrist. He dug his nails into his hardened blue skin, but the alien didn’t budge nor did his grip loosen. The female huffed, walking over to them, pale eyes focused on Zim. “Don’t kill him,” she muttered flatly to the male, “we need him alive, for now.” 

Zim gritted his teeth and his ruby-colored eyes narrowed into distrusting slits. “And just what exactly do you want me for?” He asked coldly. The female hummed lowly.

“That information is classified.” She said, walking away from them. Zim growled under his breath, trying to kick at the male’s midsection. Damn his short legs. He instead opted for watching and observing the female’s behavior. She was fooling around with something on a box that he couldn’t see, but she didn’t seem to be in any rush whatsoever. Typical. 

She hummed softly. “If you cooperate, Zim, we will let you live.” She said, finishing with whatever she was messing with. 

“What do you need?” He asked hesitantly. He had to tread lightly. These creatures were, 

like Irkens, built to kill. They knew nothing but swindling, persuading, and manipulation and they would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. Right now, for example, they needed something from him, and if he agreed to help them without knowing what they required, who knows what they would’ve done. 

“We want your PAK.” Zim felt the blood drain from his face, and suddenly the hand around his throat became more menacing. He couldn’t live without his PAK! He only had ten minutes at most without it before his body crashed, and even though he didn’t necessarily die it was still unpleasant. Besides, what would they want with his PAK? 

“I… can’t exactly take it off.” He said vaguely, frowning deeply. “Why do you require mine specifically?” He asked. 

The female alien huffed out a small laugh. “We’re studying defective Irkens. It’s that simple, Zim.” His ruby eyes widened before narrowing again defensively.

“I am NOT defective!” He snapped, causing the male to squeeze even harder. He coughed, wincing and grasping at his wrist again. The female sighed softly, turning and walking towards them again. 

“You are so naive, Zim. Why else would your Tallest send you away? Why else would they distrust you and want to avoid associating with you?” She said. Zim glared. She was trying to make him believe her lies so he’d give her some important information regarding his species, but he wasn’t about to let her into his head so easily. 

“You’re nothing but a manipulative, poisoned liar! I refuse to believe anything that comes from you!” He snarled. He was about to continue his insults, but the male that was holding him by his throat smacked his head back against the wall again. He groaned in pain, clawing at his arm again. The female smirked, tilting her head.

“What a shame; I was hoping we wouldn’t have to rip it from your body.” She said lowly, eyes gleaming dangerously. Zim took the time to look for weapons that she may be carrying and noticed an energy gun resting in a holster on her belt. The Irken insignia was almost rubbed off on the side, but Zim could still see it, and the fact that they thought they could get away with stealing Irken technology infuriated him. 

Just as he was about to say he’d like to see her attempt removing his PAK, the door opened. All three of their heads turned to the creaky door, and Zim’s eyes widened; Dib was here, and he looked furious. The male had moved a bit closer to Zim in order to keep him in place, and Zim smirked. He had just enough room to kick the male now, and he lifted his knees to his stomach before kicking the male in the gut. His legs may be small, but he was powerful enough to do some damage. 

The male groaned, dropping Zim to the floor. Zim scrambled away, huffing softly. The female pulled the energy gun from its holster and aimed it at Dib, pressing the charge button and putting her finger over the trigger. “No!” Zim leaped to his feet and smacked the gun from her hands, causing it to fall to the ground with a clatter. She let out an annoyed hiss and turned on Zim, but he was quicker. That was one downside to the enemy species; they were larger, and as a result, slower. 

He kicked her legs out from under her before running for the gun. He ripped it from her hands and smirked when he noticed it had a full charge. This could do some significant damage. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the male moving toward Dib and he made a split-second decision to pull the trigger. The beam of charged energy hit the alien male in the back, searing through the armored clothing and probably the first few layers of skin. The force of the beam knocked him face-first to the ground, and Dib breathed a sigh of relief. 

With the male down and most likely stunned for a few minutes, Zim turned his attention back to where he’d left the female. He cursed when he saw her running for the door and began charging up the gun again. He fired (without a full charge) and missed her by a mere inch, but it was enough to allow her a chance to get away. She disappeared down the hall, and Zim hissed. He started after her, but Dib rushed in front of him, frowning deeply. “Zim, let her go, it’s over.” He said. “Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine,” said Zim despite being shaken up. His PAK informed him that his adrenaline levels were still high, and he huffed softly. They looked over as they heard a soft click and saw Kia putting a pair of Dib’s alien handcuffs around the male’s wrists. Hopefully, they work, Zim thought. Kia forced the male to his feet and they began to walk out to the car. Zim subconsciously pressed the charge button on the weapon as Kia shoved the male into the back of her car. 

“I’m sorry we didn’t get here sooner, Zim. We had to wait for your location to update on the tracker and I figured Kia would end up taking a hostage so I wanted to take two cars.” Dib rambled quickly. Zim glanced down at the gun before handing it to Kia. 

“The charge is already filled up so you don’t have to worry about that, but just in case, the charge button is here.” He explained. “That’s the trigger. The energy built up in the gun is very powerful, so hold onto it tightly. This is just in case you need to use it; operate this weapon wisely.” He felt very wary about letting her borrow the gun (humans had a tendency to destroy things they touched, whether it be for science or just a stroke of bad luck), but he didn’t want to leave her entirely defenseless in case those cuffs didn’t work. 

“Thanks, Zim.” She said softly before turning to Dib. “Take him home and I’ll interrogate this guy a bit. See if we can find anything else out.” 

Dib nodded, sighing softly. “Alright, but be careful.” They said their goodbyes and Zim got into the car with Dib. They buckled up and Dib started the car. 

The car was filled with an awkward silence as they drove along the highway. Zim frowned, wondering how far away from Dib’s home they were. He looked over at the human as he heard him breathe a heavy sigh. “Zim, I’m sorry.” He said. 

Zim tilted his head. “What are you apologizing for?” He asked Dib. 

“I shouldn’t have walked out on you,” Dib murmured, gripping the wheel. “I shouldn’t have walked out and left you alone-”

“I’m not a smeet!” The Irken snapped. “I can take care of myself!” 

Dib frowned deeply. “Well, I still had no right to act like such an asshole.” He said. Even though he was rude to me first, thought Dib. Zim was different though; he was so caught up with his fantasy of being the best Irken soldier that he didn’t realize what he was saying, or even what he was feeling for that matter. He was in denial, and Dib understood that. He could put up with Zim’s attitude until he was ready to admit that they both had feelings for each other. 

“Maybe if I didn’t walk out on you, you wouldn’t have been taken.” The human grumbled bitterly. Zim sighed and shook his head. 

“No, Dib. They would’ve taken me anyway because they want my PAK.” 

Dib’s eyes widened and he glanced over at Zim. “Your PAK? What the hell do they want your PAK for?” He asked. He knew that Zim couldn’t live longer than ten minutes or so without it; taking it from him would be murder. 

“They’re studying…. Defectives.” Zim said hesitantly, frowning deeply. 

“Defectives…? Does that mean you’re defective?” Asked Dib cautiously. He didn’t want to upset Zim, but he was starting to piece everything together now. They were tracking Zim because he was defective, and they figured it would be easy because the empire casts out defective Irkens. God only knows what they wanted it for. Zim never answered him, and Dib didn’t press on with it. Zim couldn’t admit it yet, and that was okay. Dib would be there to support him every step of the way. 

Dib turned up the driveway and carefully drove the car into the garage. He parked the car and turned it off, getting out with Zim, who was deep in thought as they entered the house. 

Zim grimaced, thinking about what the female had said. He could’ve sworn that all those years ago, his Tallests had sent him to conquer Earth, but if he was defective he could’ve made that up. The last thing he wanted was to be seen as a joke to the empire, and he wondered if they really did want to get rid of him. He was unaware that he’d stopped walking until Dib tapped his shoulder gently. “You okay?” He asked, eyes filled with concern.

The Irken felt hollow like he’d been gutted, stripped of his emotions and made an empty husk. Numbly, he responded, “I… I don’t know.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! I hope you've all been well! I've been quite the busy bee lately. Writing the chapter outlines and then typing them up while juggling life has proven to be quite the challenge, but it's definitely a fun one! 
> 
> Enjoy, and don't forget to leave a comment if you'd like as well as kudos! I haven't been keeping up with responding to the comments, BUT I do actually read each and every one of them! Thank y'all for being such awesome readers and making me giggle at times, haha!
> 
> ~Purple_Merle_Writes


	9. Chapter 9

Zim sighed softly, shifting in his seat and tugging at the seat-belt that rubbed obnoxiously against his shoulder. He and Dib were on their way to Kia’s house. She’d insisted on bringing the enemy alien to her house for questioning and Dib didn’t exactly protest. He knew Dib had faith in her, but Zim wasn’t so certain she’d be okay. He knew what these aliens could do; he’d seen the destruction that follows them first hand, and he didn’t want anyone else to be hurt because of him. 

He chewed on his bottom lip, deep in thought. He hadn’t even realized he’d been so deep in his mind until Dib’s voice jerked him back to reality. “Are you okay, Zim?” Asked the human. Zim glowered, his disguised blue eyes narrowing. 

“Why must you keep asking me that?” He asked in an agitated tone. 

Dib sighed softly, “I just wanted to know.” The Irken frowned deeply at this. He’d been awful to Dib, and despite knowing that he shouldn’t be feeling anything for him at all he couldn’t shake the heavy feeling in his chest. Defective, thought Zim with a wince. If the empire knew about this, he’d surely be terminated. That is if they even cared anymore. “Y’know… I’m glad you’re defective.” Said Dib. 

Zim stared at him as if he’d sprouted a second head. “What?! Do you even realize what you just said, human?!” He asked, eyes almost comically wide. 

“Yeah, and I mean it,” Dib said softly. He turned down a road, humming softly. “If you’re defective, that means you aren’t entirely heartless or cruel. You’ve got feelings.” Zim nearly retched, and Dib arched an eyebrow.

“I do not have feelings! Feelings are absolutely pathetic.” Grumbled Zim stubbornly. Dib scoffed loudly at this, rolling his eyes behind his glasses. 

“If you didn’t have feelings, you wouldn’t be worried about Kia and I like you are now.” He said. 

Zim protested immediately, “I am not worried about you puny earthlings!” Dib chuckled faintly, pulling into Kia’s driveway. Zim angrily asked him what he was laughing at, and Dib just smiled. 

“You’re an awful liar.” He said, putting the car in park before turning it off and removing the key from the ignition. Zim gaped at him but got out of the vehicle with him nonetheless. Zim closed his door, remembering exactly why they were here in the first place, and he felt himself hesitate as Dib opened the front door. They were about to be in the same room as that male that was pinning him to the wall. The male that belonged to the species responsible for nearly demolishing the empire, and torturing hundreds of thousands of Irkens. 

He reluctantly entered the house, and he and Dib made their way through the house to the basement door. Zim bit his lip as they descended the stairs, listening to the faint growls of annoyance coming from his enemy. He needed to stay calm, and relax. Obviously, those alien cuffs had worked (somehow) because the house wasn’t destroyed and Kia’s lifeless corpse wasn’t hung on the wall like a trophy. Dib unlocked the door to the lab and together they walked inside. 

Zim’s gaze hardened as he laid his eyes on the enemy who was tied up to a chair. He noticed something around his neck and hummed softly in confusion. He quickly realized, however, that it was one of those collars humans used to electrocute their dogs as a form of punishment. Fitting, he thought. Punishing a lap dog who was willing to carry out their master’s dirty work, even if it wasn’t good. Zim frowned slightly. Wasn’t that what Irkens were to the Empire, though? Loyal lap dogs? 

Kia smiled warmly, and Zim thought she was feeling a tad bit sadistic about this whole situation. “Welcome!” She said, holding a remote control in her hand. The bound alien sneered, baring his teeth at her, and Kia gave him a warning glare. Dib chuckled faintly. 

“I see you’ve been working your magic.” Said Dib. “Did you find out anything else?” He asked. 

Kia shook her head. “He won’t talk about anything other than what Zim already knows: they want his PAK.” Dib hummed softly in response. 

“At least he speaks English,” sighed Dib. “That’s a start.”

The alien male chuckled lowly, voice deep. He looked up at them with a smirk. “Of course I speak English. I know a multitude of languages.” He said cockily, eyes shifting to Zim. Zim didn’t quite squirm, but the intensity of his enemy’s gaze was so strong that he almost wished he did. He wanted so desperately to wipe that hideous grin off that equally hideous face, but he held back. 

“Why are you studying defective Irkens?” Asked Dib. The alien didn’t answer, shrugging his broad shoulders. Kia shrugged back before grabbing a little black remote, and the alien visibly tensed. 

“Alright, fine!” He growled. “All I can say about the project is that the Irken armada, although it’s filled with morons, is a pretty technologically advanced race. Despite their advancements, however, they still haven’t been able to create the perfect race of super soldiers. There are still… Defectives.” Zim glared as the male said this, and Dib frowned. They were both thinking the same thing: the enemy was trying to fabricate a perfect race with no defects. Zim growled lowly.

“You won’t succeed.” He told the other alien. 

The other male smirked, chuckling darkly. “Oh, but we basically already have. All we have to do is get our hands on a PAK and it’s over.” He said. Zim snarled, seeing red. He went to attack the male, but Dib grabbed his arm and gently dragged him out of the room. 

Dib didn’t shut the door, leaving it cracked just in case. “Zim, you need to calm down.” Zim gaped at him. 

“Calm down?! His race is responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent lives, and you’re going to tell me to calm down?!” The Irken snapped. 

“Listen to me! If you kill him, that won’t change anything! They’ll just send more of them after you.” Dib said, relieved as he watched Zim relax. Zim unclenched his fists and loosened his jaw. 

“I hate it when you’re right,” sighed Zim. Dib frowned sympathetically and just as he was about to say something comforting, a loud hiss is heard from the room. Kia starts coughing shortly after, calling out for help. Zim and Dib rush into the room and are immediately greeted by a cloud of pale, greenish gas. Zim immediately starts coughing and gagging, covering his mouth with a hand. 

Dib started coughing soon after, wincing as he felt his throat burn. “What the hell happened?” Asked Dib. 

“He… Dropped a gas bomb or something! He’s gone.” She wheezed before coughing again. The three of them stumbled out of the room and up the stairs, gasping as the fresh air filled their lungs.

“I-I have to tell my T-Tallests about the enemy’s plan,” Zim stated, still trying to catch his breath. 

Dib frowned deeply, arching a confused brow. “Okay, but how are you going to get ahold of them?” He asked. Zim looked up at Dib, still panting a bit; the gas was manufactured specifically to stay in an Irken’s lungs for a long time, so he was still out of breath.

“I… I must return to Irk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gave me such a headache, y'all. Not writing it, but posting it. It's not letting me copy and paste my stuff, and it won't let me correct my spelling via spell-check either (forgive me if there's any errors)! I also don't have these chapters beta-read so if you see any errors, feel free to let me know!
> 
> Thank you so much for your patience, and I promise I won't leave you hanging for too long this time! <3
> 
> ~Purple_Merle_Writes


	10. Chapter 10

Dib stared at Zim with wide eyes. “No way, Zim. You’re not leaving again.” He said, frowning deeply. Zim literally just got back; Dib didn’t want Zim to go back to Irk, especially considering how hostile it was right now. 

“Dib, I have to!” Zim said, already getting frustrated with Dib’s ignorance. 

“No you don’t!” Dib couldn’t fight the whimper rising in his voice. He really, really didn’t want Zim to leave, but he knew deep down that he wouldn’t be able to stop him. 

“I won’t selfishly withhold information from the Empire that could potentially save lives!” He snapped at Dib. Kia awkwardly backed out of the room, giving the two some space to work things out on their own. They’re both pretty stubborn, she thought. They’ll get through this in their own time. 

“There has to be another way,” Dib whined, hating how he was practically begging Zim to stay. 

“There isn’t any other way, human!” Growled the Irken. 

Dib decided to take another approach to the situation. “Okay, Zim. How are you supposed to get off the planet when you destroyed your own ship?” He asked. Zim snickered before bursting into full blown laughter. Dib’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Why are you laughing?”

“Do you honestly believe that I’d just destroy my only way off this stupid planet?” He asked Dib. Dib sputtered, and Zim rolled his eyes. “I just destroyed the ship’s tracking signal. The Empire doesn’t know where it is, so it’s basically just an untraceable vessel now.” 

“Why didn’t I see it the night you crash landed then?” Asked Dib. 

“All Irken Elite ships have cloaking devices built in. They render the ship invisible.” Zim shrugged. Dib thought for a moment about questioning how Zim obtained an elite ship, but ultimately decided not to ask. 

“You’re still not going by yourself, Zim.” He said, shaking his head as he crossed his arms. 

“Well, you aren’t going with me.” Zim said contemptuously. 

“Why can’t I?” Dib asked angrily. 

“Because, you moron! I don’t want anyone else to die because of me-” Zim instantly cut himself off, covering his mouth. Dib glowered.

“I’m not a child, Zim!” He snapped, but then the weight of Zim’s words hit him like a freight train. “...Who died?” He asked cautiously. 

“It doesn’t matter because they’re already dead; they aren’t coming back.” He mumbled angrily. He sighed, running a hand through his disguise’s hair. “Alright, fine, you can come with me. But don’t run your mouth, or get yourself into trouble!” He said reluctantly. 

“I won’t.” Said Dib. “When are we leaving?” 

“As soon as possible. Preferably tonight. That’ll give you time to pack whatever's necessary.” Dib nodded and called Kia back onto the room. 

“We’re going to Irk. I’m not sure when we’ll be back.” Dib said. If we’ll be back at all, he thought to himself. Kia nodded her head slowly. 

“Alright, I’ll drive you where you need to go so you don’t have to leave your car somewhere.” She said. “Oh, and by the way, you two argue like a married couple.” Dib sputtered, and Zim tilted his head in confusion. 

***

Dib had never packed so much so quickly in his life. He had a suitcase with him as they got out of Kia’s car and walked into the field. The tall grass swayed steadily in the faint breeze, and Dib looked around to see if he could spot the ship at all. Kia parked her car, watching them to make sure they were okay. 

As they walked through the grass, Dib figured he’d attempt to make some sort of conversation. “So… You said you were banished before, right?” He asked cautiously. Zim glowered over at him. 

“Yes,” Zim said softly, scanning the field for the invisible ship. 

“Was it because of someone’s death? I mean, I know you said you were labeled as defective but-” 

“Drop it, human.” Growled Zim, eyes narrowing as he looked toward a willow tree. 

“Why were you banished if it wasn’t your fault, though?” Dib asked, curiosity spurring him on. 

“Because it was my fault!” Zim said angrily, making his way over to the tree. Dib frowned deeply. 

“I can’t see the ship, Zim. Are you sure it’s-” Dib gasped as he walked face first into something solid, recoiling and covering his nose with a groan. “Ow…”

“You sure did feel it,” retorted Zim. He pulled up his hoodie sleeve (it was actually Dib’s hoodie, and Dib thought he looked super cute in it but he wouldn’t tell Zim that) and waved the wristband over what Dib assumed to be a scanner of some sort. The ship slowly shimmered into view, and Dib’s eyes widened in awe at how good the cloaking system actually was. A door slid open, and Zim climbed inside. Dib followed and jumped when the door shut quickly behind him. 

“Computer!” Barked Zim. “Power up!” 

The computer whirred to life, a feminine voice coming over the speaker on the ceiling. “Powering… Up.” The overhead lights turned on, and several buttons on the various panels lit up. Zim sat down in the seat in front of the main control panel and Dib took a seat beside him, setting his suitcase down. The Irken began to press buttons, looking at the various digital panels that were displaying the results of systems’ diagnostics. 

“What kind of ship is this, Zim?” Dib asked curiously, eyes scanning over the console in front of him. 

“It is a new model of an Elite ship.” Said Zim with a sideways glance at Dib. “Don’t touch anything.” 

“How’d you get your hands on it?” Asked Dib. 

“I had access codes from when I was registered as an invader.” Zim’s response was simple enough, but Dib wondered again about Zim’s reason for banishment. If he was banished, did that mean this ship was stolen? Dib simply nodded in response and buckled his belt. Zim hummed softly as he initiated takeoff.

***

They broke Earth’s atmosphere in roughly about eight minutes. Dib asked Zim if he left the cloaking devices on, to which Zim said of course he did; if the government got wind of this, it wouldn’t end well, so Dib just wanted to be sure. 

As they sped through space, Dib noticed that Zim was putting in some coordinates on one of the panels. “So… is that like GPS?” He asked. 

Zim shook his head. “It’s autopilot.” He answered briefly. Once the coordinates were in, the handles Zim was using to steer seemed to steady themselves out. Zim let go and leaned back in his seat. 

Dib chewed on his lip. He desperately wanted to know more about who Zim killed, but rationalized with himself that it could’ve been an accident. He also wondered if there was more than one person involved, but who knows, maybe Irkens used they and them as separate pronouns. He glanced over at Zim, who was staring out at the stars, and decided not to push it. Following Zim’s lead, he followed his gaze to observe the passing stars. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Dib doesn't want his space boy to leave! 
> 
> Sorry for the long wait on this chapter! Life got in the way (plus, I've been writing another fanfic), but I'm trying to be better now! 
> 
> Don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you enjoyed, and keep an eye on this story for more chapters! The next one's gonna be good~
> 
> ~Purple_Merle_Writes


	11. Chapter 11

Dib wasn’t quite sure what time it was. After about an hour of minimal conversation and awkward silence, he decided to take a quick nap. Luckily, the seats reclined quite a bit (he actually got it to go back parallel to the floor) and the headrest was super comfy. He woke up with a soft hum, stretching as he pulled himself into a sitting position. 

He glanced over at Zim who seemed to be in a pretty good mood. “Good morning,” Dib said sarcastically. He really didn’t know what time it was, and he knew his phone wouldn’t work this far away from Earth. In fact, he wasn’t even sure how far away from his planet they were. He didn’t recognize any of the planets and wondered how fast they were actually moving. Zim responded with a soft hum, nodding briskly to acknowledge Dib. 

“So… you nervous? About going back, I mean.” Asked Dib. 

“Zim isn’t nervous.” The Irken said softly. Despite this, Dib saw right through him. He decided not to comment though as he saw a strange pinkish-red planet quickly coming into view. He took notice of its light rings and wondered what they were composed of. Were they like Saturn’s rings, or were they actually some sort of structure? 

Just as he was about to try and make more conversation, the ship lurched forward. Dib cried out softly in shock as his body hit the metallic floor. Zim had fallen too, but he was on his feet quicker than Dib and was already piloting the ship again. He straightened the ship out and Dib scrambled ungracefully back into his seat. “What the hell was that?!” He asked, frowning deeply as he buckled the straps to the seat’s harness-like belt. 

“It was probably just debris. There are lots of asteroids out this way-” Zim was interrupted by his own yelp as the ship was hit yet again by some unseen force. Dib caught the brief look of panic and confusion on Zim’s face before the Irken turned on the ship’s radar. Zim gasped softly as they saw a shape moving toward them quickly. Dib frowned; that couldn’t be an asteroid. 

“Who would be out here?” Asked Dib. “Another Irken ship?”

“No… Irken ships are pink on the radar,” Zim said, abruptly pulling up on the handlebars. The ship moved upward so fast that Dib felt his stomach drop, but it felt like it rose into his throat quicker when he saw through the windshield of a ship beneath them. It was them. 

“Oh shit!” Cried Dib, gripping the arms of his seat as the enemy ship smashed into the underneath of theirs. 

“Hold on!” Zim said, bearing down on the other vessel. “Computer! Activate shields!” 

“Activating…” With a soft whir, the Irken ship became encased in some sort of weird energy field. Despite their perilous situation, Dib was amazed. The two ships broke away from each other and sped toward the planet side by side. As the enemy pulled ahead, Dib came to a sickening realization. 

“We’re gonna crash!” He whimpered, knuckles white as he death-gripped the chair. 

“Not if I can help it!” Zim said confidently as he flipped a switch. Dib’s eyes widened as deafening gunshots filled his ears, followed by bright flashes of light from the top and underneath of the ship. The enemy glared angrily, firing back at the Irken ship. They had broken atmosphere and were quickly descending. Dib flinched as the enemy’s projectiles were deflected by the shield with loud booms. 

The surface of the planet whizzed by underneath them and Dib’s eyes widened as he saw buildings approaching quickly. He could make out tiny green dots in the field and gulped faintly. He was sure they were going to crash but Zim wasn’t about to go down without a fight. He fired at the enemy ship, shattering the windshield. The enemy’s ship began to spiral downward and Dib frowned deeply as he caught sight of the dead (or dying) alien inside who was missing part of his face.    
  


Dib found himself sighing in relief as Zim straightened out the ship again, flying closer to the buildings and dropping down when they approached an exceptionally large building that reminded Dib of an extraterrestrial parking garage. “G-Good job, Zim,” Dib said almost breathlessly. Zim thanked him before slowing the ship down. Zim carefully positioned the ship into an empty port before it was sucked inside. 

The port was extremely dark but Dib could vaguely make out two figures approaching the ship. Zim took a breath before turning to Dib. “Don’t come out until I say you can, okay? I need to smooth things over first.” Dib nodded quickly as Zim unbuckled and exited the vessel. 

Zim approached the two soldiers, greeting them calmly. “Zim,” one said venomously. “What on Irk are you doing here and how did you gain access to one of the elite ships?” 

He decided to ignore the second question. “I’m here because I have crucial information to give to the Tallests.” He said simply. He had no time to play games with mere unranked grunts. They both eyed him suspiciously but eventually agreed to take him. “There’s… one more tiny… er… moderately-sized thing,” said Zim hesitantly. He waved Dib out with his gloved hand and when the human set foot on the ground, the grunts were instantly on the defensive. 

“What the hell is that?’’ The second grunt asked Zim. 

“A human from Earth,” Zim said with a shrug, ignoring Dib’s mildly offended expression. “I know what this looks like, but I promise it isn’t what you think it is. This human assisted me with obtaining the information.” The grunts looked at Zim skeptically, and the taller one sighed.    
  


“Alright, fine.” The grunt said. “We’ll arrange an escort to their chamber. Just… Be aware that they may not welcome you right away.”

“And for good reason,” the shorter soldier muttered under his breath as they lead them through the hall. Dib frowned. They must really hate him here, he though. Could Zim have possibly killed some important people? He’d heard about the Tallests before, and he didn’t know much about Irken society, but maybe there’s a reason the current leaders despise the small alien. 

“Dib, do not speak unless you are spoken to, and don’t say anything stupid.” Dib lifted his hands to signal his compliance as the doors slid open. They stepped inside and Dib swallowed faintly. One of them, dressed in purple, spat out his drink when he turned and saw Zim and Dib standing there. The other, dressed in red, basically hissed at Zim, eyes narrowing. 

“You dare to show your face again?!” The red clad Tallest said angrily. 

Zim opened his mouth to speak but the other one spoke over him with a dismissive flap of his hand. “We shouldn’t waste our time on him, Red; he’s like a ticking time bomb!” Zim flinched slightly. 

“Yeah,” laughed Red. “What disaster are you trying to cause this time?” The Tallests laughed together and as Zim cowered in shame, Dib felt his blood boil. Sure, Zim had an aptitude for causing trouble and yes, he was a bit full of himself, but he was also driven and determined. He was trying his best to right the wrongs he’d done and they weren’t even willing to give him the time to talk. 

“If you two would shut up, Zim would be able to give you some important information about your enemy! Y’know, the one that’s decimated half of your race?” The human snapped accusingly. Zim’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open as he stared at Dib. 

“Dib, I said don’t-” 

Red held up a hand and the room became eerily quiet. Dib frowned. Had he overstepped his boundaries?

“We want you to tell us everything you know.” Said Red. “Follow me.” Dib and Zim shared a relieved glance before following the Tallests into a side room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter!
> 
> I'm absolutely thrilled that y'all are enjoying this story so far, and we're getting pretty close to the end, so strap yourselves in! 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave a comment or kudos, and follow my twitter (@MerlePurple) for updates! 
> 
> ~Purple_Merle_Writes


	12. Chapter 12

Dib frowned nervously as they walked into a room with no windows that was guarded by armed security personnel. The door was shut behind them and Dib swallowed when he heard several locks click. “Now,” said Tallest Red. “Tell us what you’ve found out, Zim.” 

“They’re going after defectives. They’re tracking them down somehow so they can experiment on their PAKs.” Said Zim simply. “I think they want to make super soldiers.” 

Tallest Purple frowned. “They’re kidnapping effective Irkens as well. It’s likely that they’re experimenting on them like they’re trying to experiment on the defects.” He muttered. 

Tallest Red nodded slowly as Zim’s mouth dropped open. “They must want to eliminate the rest of us that aren’t being experimented on as well.” 

“Yeah, they’ve destroyed the control brains and the smeeteries already,” said Tallest Purple. “Now all they’ll have to do is initiate a mass genocide…” Zim’s eyes widened fearfully, and he felt rage bubble in the back of his mind. Smeeteries. They’ve destroyed smeeteries! It was bad enough that they were torturing grown Irkens, but killing the young too? 

Dib frowned deeply as Zim spoke. “We can’t let them progress any further.” The Irken clenched his gloved fists, grimacing at the thought of how many innocent smeets the enemy had killed. 

“We’re out of ideas,” sighed Tallest Red. “We’d be open to suggestions if you have any.” 

Dib chewed on his bottom lip thoughtfully. If they could figure out a weakness, they could use it to their advantage. The only issue was, the enemy aliens didn’t seem to have any weaknesses. He looked up to see Zim shaking his head. “This can’t be happening,” the Irken whispered. 

“We’ll have you escorted to a suite,” said Red. Purple called for security and Dib visibly flinched at the sudden increase of volume. Two Irkens (who were a bit taller than Zim, Dib noticed) stepped into the room. Red nodded to Zim before turning his back to them, talking quietly with Purple. 

The Irkens that were guarding the room led Dib and Zim out of it and into a long hallway. There was a staircase that led all the way to the top of the building (Dib’s legs hurt just thinking about all those steps) and next to it was an elevator. One of the Irkens leading them pressed his hand to a panel, a thin laser quickly moving to scan the palm of his hand, and the doors to the elevator slid open.   
They stepped inside and Dib blushed faintly as he felt Zim bump against his hip. He played with the hem of his shirt, uncomfortable with the deafening silence that filled the small elevator. He swore the Irkens weren’t even breathing because they were so quiet and that thought alone was super intimidating. 

  
They exited the elevator when the doors slid open and were immediately led to a door that had what Dib presumed was the word “room” followed by a number written on it. Zim nodded to the guards who gave him a wary look before leaving. Dib grumbled under his breath, wincing when Zim jabbed him in the ribs. The Irken turned back to the door and opened it with a soft hum, stepping inside. 

Dib didn’t know exactly what he was expecting, but when he saw how… human… the room looked, he was thoroughly shocked. The bed wasn’t like most human beds; it had a round mattress instead of a rectangular one, and it was on a platform raised off of the floor. Steps led up to the bed which was draped in what looked like a silk comforter. Several pillows were propped against the wall instead of a headboard, and Dib thought the bed looked very comfortable (especially after sleeping in a chair during the trip).

He set his bag down on the floor when Zim closed the door. “Y’know, now that I think about it, the Tallests aren’t really that intimidating,” Dib said. Zim gave him a look and Dib chuckled nervously. “I’m serious. I thought they’d be all like… super angry, but they were… kind of just assholes.” He looked up and saw Zim sitting on the window sill, staring out at the moderately destroyed city around them. Zim wasn’t in his disguise, so it was hard to tell how the Irken was feeling, but Dib could’ve guessed that it wasn’t necessarily good.

“You alright?” He asked in a soft voice. 

“...I just want all the fighting to stop.” Zim whispered hesitantly, frowning faintly. Dib frowned deeply as he watched Zim turn his head and close his eyes, walking over to the Irken to attempt to comfort him. “I love my planet… I really do, but all this fighting is… tiring.” Murmured Zim. 

Dib swallowed faintly; he knew he shouldn’t ask. It would be incredibly selfish, but he had to know, and he decided that the worst thing that could happen would be Zim refusing to talk to him afterward. That, however, was unlikely. “So… are you gonna return to Irk after the war?” He asked softly, eyes hopeful as he gazed lovingly at the Irken soldier in front of him. 

Zim didn’t even turn to look at Dib, but the human could’ve sworn that he saw Zim tense. “Irk is my home, Dib.” He said simply. Dib frowned sadly, giving a halfhearted “okay” before sitting down on one of the couches. He slowly leaned back until he was laying down and stared up at the ceiling. 

What was he even doing here? He was practically useless, and the only reason he’d tagged along was that he was too stubborn to let Zim just walk out of his life again. That being said though, Zim didn’t seem to want to stay and who was Dib to force him? Zim didn’t deserve that…

Zim reluctantly looked over at Dib and frowned as the human covered his eyes with an arm. He let out a soft sigh. “I’m sorry, Dib.” He said softly, hating the way his voice trembled in his throat. 

“Why are you apologizing?” Murmured Dib. 

“I… I don’t know what to think of these new feelings and emotions, and it scares me,” Zim said. “I d-don’t know what to do with them, and-” Zim frowned deeply as he choked up. He let out a gross sounding sob, and his hand came up to aggressively wipe the tear that had fallen from his eye. His eyes widened in confusion as he continued to whimper, uncertain about what exactly was happening to him. Irkens didn’t cry, and yet here he was. 

Dib frowned deeply and got up, rushing over to him. “Hey, shh, it’s okay!” Dib said in a soft voice. Zim wiped his eyes again on the back of his glove, sniffling faintly as he hugged himself with his other arm. “It’s okay to cry and show emotions, Zim.” He murmured. 

“I-I’m defective; I shouldn’t be doing or feeling anything other than what was programmed into me.” Whimpered the Irken. 

“Zim, listen to me,” said Dib, gently touching Zim’s arm. “I’m glad you’re defective.” He said. “It’s because you’re ‘defective’ that you can feel things, and that makes you more effective than you realize.”

“But why, Dib? I’m not supposed to-” Zim let out a muffled hum in surprise as Dib’s lips cut him off. Dib cupped his cheeks to hold him in place, although he was entirely ready to stop if Zim decided to push him away; after all, random liplocks weren’t exactly the Irken soldier’s thing. He was pleasantly surprised when he felt Zim, whose eyes had fluttered closed, kiss back. 

Zim felt his cheeks heat up, and he placed his hands on Dib’s chest, gripping the fabric in his fists. Dib swiped his tongue across Zim’s bottom lip, and the latter happily allowed Dib to explore his mouth. He never quite understood the desire humans had for kissing. No other animals on the planet did that (at least, no animals that he was aware of), but it made Dib happy, so Zim was perfectly okay with reciprocating. 

Dib carefully pulled Zim onto his lap without breaking the kiss, and Zim slid his hands up into Dib’s hair. Zim broke the kiss for air, resting his forehead against Dib’s to maintain that same intimate closeness. “Zim..?” Whispered Dib softly. 

“Yes?” Zim responded almost breathlessly. 

  
“I… I have a confession to make. I should’ve told you sooner, but-” 

Suddenly, in the middle of Dib’s sentence, a loud, ear-splitting siren ripped through the air. Zim’s face fell, and the Irken quickly got up from Dib’s lap. Dib covered his ears. “Ack! What the hell is that?!” He asked loudly. Zim looked like he was about to be sick. 

“Dib, we need to get out of here! NOW!” Said Zim, voice rising a couple of octaves as panic took over. “That is a warning!” 

Dib felt the color drain from his face as the reality of where they were came crashing down onto him. “W-What for?!” He asked despite knowing the answer. 

“We are being attacked!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the delay in chapters, you guys! I'm so bad at posting, haha, but yes! I've updated it! If you take a look at the chapter, we're on 12/17! Yep, that's right! Only a few more chapters to go and we'll be done! 
> 
> I thought this story was paced nicely, but now I'm not so sure, so if you guys have any advice on whether or not I should slow things down and how to do that, I'm all ears! I plan on responding to more recent comments (anxiety's been forcing me to avoid doing that before), so leave your advice there, OR @ me on twitter (@MerlePurple) for a quicker response (I'm open to DMs as well, just don't be creepy)!
> 
> Thank you guys so much for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment and kudos if you enjoyed it! My twitter is where I post the occasional update, and I'll most likely respond to DMs or tags there! <3
> 
> ~Purple_Merle_Writes_NSFW


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CW: Brief depiction of a bombing. Nothing graphic yet, but as a warning, there will potentially be mentions of blood in later chapters! Again, nothing terribly graphic, but I just wanted y'all to be aware! Enjoy! <3

Dib frowned fearfully as he and Zim ran from the room. He glanced back at the window before turning his attention to Zim, who was weaving them through a small crowd of Irkens. They were scrambling through the halls, moving toward a stairwell, and Dib gulped. This was really happening right now. He was really on Irk and they were really being attacked. As they approached the stairwell, an ear-splitting explosion made the walls of the building tremble; Dib almost lost his footing and cursed loudly. “Are they dropping fucking bombs?!” He asked Zim, squeezing the Irken’s hand gently. 

“Something like that, yes!” Zim responded as they quickly rushed down the stairs. Dib’s eyes widened behind his glasses, and he looked around at all the Irkens crowding the stairs. Most were scarily calm despite moving so quickly, but he could see the panic written across some of their faces. Perhaps they were defective just like Zim, and that was why they were panicking, unlike their peers.

“Zim, where are we going?!” Dib asked, his voice rising an octave as true panic began to set in. What if he died here? What if  _ they  _ died here? 

“We will be safer in the basement! The doors can be locked more securely, and-” they flinched as another boom shook the building. Particles of the ceiling fluttered down into the stairwell, landing on Dib’s shirt. “-and we won’t be crushed by rubble should the building collapse!” Zim forced himself to speak. 

They skipped the last two steps, hitting the ground and breaking into a brisk jog as they approached an open set of heavy looking doors made out of some sort of metal. Zim pulled Dib inside and together, panting, they backed toward a wall. The Irkens packed in like sardines, and Dib couldn’t avoid thinking about how easy it would be for the enemy to come in and start killing all of them. Two Irkens barricaded the doors before crouching down to the floor. Zim crouched as well, so Dib followed his lead.    
  


He frowned deeply as he felt Zim subtly press closer to him. He could feel Zim trembling, and judging by the racing of his own heart, he was sure that the smaller male’s heart was also pounding against his rib cage. He comfortingly placed his hand on Zim’s back, just below his PAK, making sure nobody noticed. Zim glanced up at him for a split second before focusing his ruby gaze on the door. 

The basement did little to muffle the loud rumbling and distant, booming echoes, but Dib was grateful that they were at least out of the way of potential debris. He wondered how many times this had happened over the past few years; he wondered how many of the Irkens had been slaughtered like livestock. 

Eventually, the rumbling stopped, and the Irkens began to slowly rise from their spots on the floor. Dib’s legs had fallen asleep a while ago, but he’d been too scared to move. He winced as he shifted his weight. They all froze as quick footsteps echoed down the hall, and Dib held his breath. Someone on the outside spoke in a language Dib didn’t know. It sounded similar to the language he would catch Zim muttering in from time to time, so he assumed it was Irken. 

Slowly the doors were unbarricaded and opened to reveal two Irken soldiers in uniform. Dib swallowed hard when he saw that they were armed with guns that were almost half their size. The Irkens slowly began to file out of the room, going back to doing whatever they were doing before the attack. Dib noticed that the same few Irkens that had shown signs of panic before were slower to return than the others. Zim seemed to have noticed too, but he didn’t react much other than giving them a concerned glance. 

As they walked out of the basement, Zim and Dib overheard the two soldiers speaking to each other. Dib, of course, couldn’t understand a word they were saying, but Zim seemed to understand every single word. The Irken’s antennae perked, twitching in the soldiers’ direction. 

“What on Irk is  _ he  _ doing here?” One grumbled.

“I have no idea, but he’s just a ticking bomb… he shouldn’t have been allowed to return.” The other hissed.    
  


Zim frowned deeply, feeling his cheeks heat up as shame overcame him. He was vaguely aware of Dib asking him what they said, but he didn’t bother to respond as the soldiers cleared their throats to get everyone’s attention. “Attention! All higher class Irkens have been called for a meeting in the meeting hall immediately by our Tallests.” The first spoke loudly. Zim felt his heart sink to his boots as their gazes fell upon him. 

“This includes only  _ current _ elites, navigators, and invaders.” The second practically spat as a jab at Zim. Zim’s ruby eyes narrowed, but shame kept him silent. He simply clenched his fists at his sides. Dib arched an eyebrow as he sensed the tension in the air, nervously glancing at Zim. 

“What did they say?” He whispered to Zim. Zim shooked his head, about to make a snappy remark when Red’s voice made the soldiers whip around.    
  


“You two are in no position to determine who’s able to attend. That’s our job!” He said in Irken with a smirk. The two soldiers glanced at each other before nodding to the two Tallests in front of them.    
  


“We are terribly sorry my Tallest,” said the second immediately. The first nodded in agreement before glaring subtly at Zim. 

“In fact,” said Red, “we want Zim and the human to be present for this meeting. Zim’s provided us with more information than your whole regimen, so I’d watch your tongue!”

The soldiers flinched, gawking at the two leaders in front of him. Dib flinched as well, unaware of what was going on. All Dib knew was that Red was angry with the two soldiers who had been angry at Zim. Red dismissed the pair with a wave of his two-fingered hand, sending them scurrying down the hall. Everyone else who’d gathered around to watch the argument dispersed quickly, aside from a few Irkens who were noticeably taller than others. 

Red muttered under his breath and Purple stepped forward. “We’ll escort you both to the meeting hall… just in case anyone else would like to attempt to stop you.” He said, glaring at the remaining crowd. They averted their gazes and slowly began to walk down the hall. 

Dib took notice of Zim’s wide eyes as they began to follow Zim’s leaders. “What just happened?” The human asked softly. 

“Those soldiers insulted me, and my Tallests defended me,” Zim explained simply. Dib nodded slowly, glancing at the two Tallests. 

“...Excuse me, but uh… how are you two so calm after you just got bombed?” Dib asked, frowning faintly. 

Tallest Purple turned to look at Dib evenly. “We’re pretty much used to it by now,” he murmured solemnly. 

“How long has this been going on?” Dib pressed. 

“Maybe… four Earth years?” Zim said uncertainly as they approached another set of doors. These ones were decorated fancily, Dib noted, and a panel beside them had Irken symbols it. Dib assumed that that was the way they’d write “meeting hall”. Two guards opened the doors and the crowd instantly parted like the red sea. 

As they made their way through the pathway the other Irkens had cleared, Dib could hear several of them murmuring in confusion. He wasn’t sure whether or not they were confused about him or the fact that Zim had returned, but judging by the sneers on their faces and the hatred boiling in their monochrome eyes… he assumed it was the latter. Zim led Dib to a corner and they stood there together, the Irken male shifting uncomfortably under the intensity of his fellow soldiers’ gazes. 

The Tallests stepped up onto a raised platform and the Irkens almost immediately turned their attention to their leaders. Red spoke first, “Now, I’m sure you all have questions-”

The room exploded into a barrage of questions spoken in Irken tongue, several of the soldiers straight up growling in Zim’s direction. Zim flinched as he listened to them. 

“Why is  _ he  _ here?!” One Irken cried out. 

“He’s just an accident waiting to happen!” Another snarled. 

“He’s a filthy murderer!” 

“Why was he even allowed back on the planet?” Dib looked up so fast that he was sure he pulled something in his neck. He recognized that voice despite the fact that it wasn’t spoken in English. Dib searched the crowd and immediately saw the familiar violet gaze of Tak. She was glaring at them, hard. If looks could kill, they’d be dead one thousand times over, but Tak remained calm. She turned her attention back to the tallests as they demanded silence. 

“Quiet, all of you!” Purple barked angrily, eyes narrowing. Zim burned with shame and everted his gaze, staring intently at his boots. 

“Yes… Zim has delivered vital information related to our enemy’s plans.” Red said, looking thoroughly annoyed. 

Tak sneered. “That’s a surprise,” she said boldly, crossing her arms over her chest. The others voiced their agreements with Tak but were quickly silenced once again by Purple. 

“Zim found out that they’re studying defective Irkens. We theorize that they are trying to unlock the ability to create the perfect super-soldiers by learning ho to buff out the defects.” Red explained, eliciting soft gasps from some of the individuals. “You’ve seen it yourself: Irkens go out on patrol in groups of five or more, and only a few return, saying they were attacked by the enemy. We’ve pushed this aside for far too long. We cannot let anymore Irkens suffer the same fate.” 

“And just what exactly are we going to do with this information, my Tallests?” Tak spoke again, her voice loud and clear above the confused murmuring of her fellow soldiers. “We haven’t won any of their skirmishes, and we can barely make it past the borders they’ve set!” 

“We aren’t sure yet,” said Purple. “We need some time to think this over.” 

“If anyone comes up with an idea that involves losing the smallest amount of our soldiers as possible… request to come and speak with us.” Red said. “With that, you are dismissed. Speak of this to no one until we come up with a proper plan.” 

The room began to empty quickly. Several of the Irkens glanced at Zim regretfully, but most of them still seemed on the fence about whether or not he could be trusted. Zim kept his head down, frowning intensely. Tak slowly shook her head and began to leave, and just as Dib was about to tell Zim to come on, Zim called out to Tak. 

Tak, giving Zim an intense cold shoulder, ignored him. She moved toward the door, but Zim was faster, grabbing her wrist quickly. “Wait, I-”   
  


Tak violently twisted free of his grip, snarling and baring her sharp teeth. “I don’t want to speak to you in the slightest, Zim!” She spat accusingly in English this time. Both Dib and Zim flinched at her tone, but Zim wasn’t about to back down. 

“Tak, I am sorry,” Zim said to her. Her eyes widened in confusion and she skeptically looked Zim over, almost as if she were expecting some sort of trick. “I… I never meant to mess up your test in the first place, and for that, I am truly sorry.”

Tak frowned deeply, sighing heavily. “Bad luck seems to follow you everywhere you go, Zim...” She muttered, finally looking at him with an emotion other than hatred. Her eyes had softened, losing their intensity. “...but, I forgive you.” 

Zim’s ruby eyes widened, and this time he was the one to frown deeply. “How… How bad is it now, Tak? I mean… we saw all the destruction coming in, but…”

“All the smeeteries are gone,” she murmured solemnly. 

Zim nodded. “I know; the Tallests informed me of that.” His forehead creased slightly in confusion. “Why haven’t the control brains fixed this yet?” He asked. 

  
Tak gazed at Zim with a deep look of sorrow. “They… they’re  _ gone _ , Zim. The enemy destroyed them too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand the potential spam begins! I attempted to make the attack scene as intense as possible, but I suck at setting the mood, haha!
> 
> Thank you guys so much for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment or kudos! Follow me on Twitter (@MerlePurple) for sporadic little updates! It's also the easiest way to reach me (and I totally need more IZ mutuals)! 
> 
> ~Purple_Merle_Writes_NSFW


	14. Chapter 14

Zim’s eyes widened in absolute shock as he gazed at Tak. “Zim, we’re running out of time.” Murmured the female Irken. Zim nodded slowly, frowning deeply as he looked down at his boots. He swallowed hard, glancing up at Dib who was staring thoughtfully at the wall. 

“...What are you thinking about, Dib? Zim does not like that look,” Zim murmured. 

“Does the enemy have a base nearby?” Asked Dib, eyebrows furrowed. 

“Yes, of course, but it’s heavily guarded,” said Tak, tilting her head. “Nobody has successfully infiltrated it without being killed or captured.” 

Dib hummed thoughtfully. “If only we could get someone inside with a weapon.” He said. 

“They still take prisoners, but… they disarm anyone they take in.” 

“Okay, but what if we got someone inside and they stole a weapon off of one of the soldiers? Like… to destroy the base from the inside?” Dib said. 

Tak immediately glanced over at Zim, who sighed softly. Maybe this was his only chance at redemption. This was his time to make up for all the chaos he’d caused. “I’ll do it,” he said. Dib immediately frowned, shaking his head. 

“No, Zim! I don’t want you getting hurt-”

“Shut up, human!” Zim hissed as Tak gazed at them questioningly. He looked back over at Tak, nodding slowly. “I’ll inform the Tallests of our plan.” 

“Good,” said Tak, nodding back. “I have duties to attend to, but… I’ll be wishing you luck, Zim.” With that, she turned and left the meeting hall. Zim glanced at Dib before taking a step toward his Tallests. 

“Wait!” Dib whispered, gently grabbing Zim’s smaller wrist in his hand. He frowned deeply. Deep down, he knew that Zim wasn’t as fragile as he appeared, but that knowledge flew out of his brain the moment he tugged on Zim’s wrist. What if Zim got seriously hurt? What if he didn’t come back…? “Z-Zim, I don’t wanna lose you.” He whispered, voice wavering slightly. 

Zim frowned deeply, a brief moment of hesitation lingering before he pulled his wrist from Dib’s grasp. He clenched his fist, the fabric of his gloves pulled tight over his fingers. “We can’t talk about this now; there are lives at stake.” He whispered softly, meeting Dib’s gaze before turning and walking over to his Tallests. He bowed politely, and Dib watched with wide eyes as Zim willingly offered to sacrifice himself for their cause. 

He found himself becoming angry at first. His leaders never took him seriously before, even going as far as to mock him in front of his entire race, but they sure had no issue with him now. Now that he was offering up his life to their stupid cause, they were treating him like he actually meant something to them. They were treating him like he was some precious tool, and they didn’t know how much Zim’s life meant to him. 

He found himself turning to walk out of the meeting hall as tears welled in his eyes. He was about to lose Zim, the only being he’d ever truly loved. As he walked down the hall, his boots felt extremely heavy, and he was positive that it wasn’t the planet’s gravity weighing him down.

***

Zim was busy throughout the rest of the day, so Dib sat alone in their suite. He slept a bit, cried a lot, and brooded as he stared out of the window at the destroyed city. He sighed deeply, jumping slightly when the door finally opened. 

“Sorry, I was-” Zim stepped into the room and frowned deeply immediately sensing the atmosphere. “What’s wrong?” He asked. 

“What’s wrong?!” Dib practically exploded. “You’re seriously gonna fucking waltz in here and ask me what’s wrong?! I could  _ lose  _ you, Zim!” He gripped at his hair, glaring down at the floor. He hated everything, and he wasn’t in the mood for this shit. 

Zim’s heart dropped. He had no idea Dib would be so affected by all of this. He frowned deeply as Dib murmured something along the lines of “can’t be alone again”, slowly walking over to him after pushing the door closed. “Dib, everything will be fine.” He said. “I have an aptitude for destroying things and making it out.” He attempted to reassure the human. 

“But… but what if something goes wrong? What’ll you do then?” Asked Dib, sitting down on the sofa. He put his head in his hands, leg bouncing quickly as he took slow breaths. Zim sat down beside him, gently placing a hand on Dib’s knee to stop his shaking leg. Dib looked up at him, a tear slowly rolling down his cheek. 

“I’ll return to you, Dib.” He said, gently cupping the human’s cheek before wiping the tear with his thumb. Dib’s lips parted as he went to speak, but Zim quickly cut him off with a soft, tender kiss, causing the human to blush softly. “Shut up, Dib…” The Irken purred before pressing his lips harder against Dib’s. 

Dib kissed back quickly, nipping Zim’s bottom lip gently. He placed his hands on Zim’s hips, carefully pulling him onto his lap as he pressed his tongue against the other male’s. At some point during their makeout session (which grew in intensity very quickly), Dib ended up on his back as Zim straddled his hips. 

Zim broke the kiss, a soft purr rumbling in his chest. Dib blushed darkly as he looked up at Zim with half-lidded eyes. “Zim, I’m in love with you…” His voice was a soft, barely audible whisper as he gently slid his hands up Zim’s thighs. Zim blushed darkly and instead of verbally answering Dib, he pressed his lips to Dib’s again.

He truly did love Dib, the more he thought about it. The human was incredibly precious to him, and he couldn’t imagine how boring his life would be without Dib in it. He did love him, but he didn’t dare to say it back, just in case the plan failed. Honestly, Zim had no idea if it would work, but he knew that he needed to do it, and if he could make it easier on Dib… well, he was going to try. 

He tangled a hand in Dib’s hair, gripping his shirt with the other. Dib moaned when Zim nipped his lip, rubbing his hip bones with his thumbs. Dib sat up with Zim on his lap, running his hands up Zim’s sides. Zim shuddered beneath his touch, whimpering when the human broke the kiss to lick and nip at his neck. “D-Don’t drool all over me…” He whispered breathlessly as Dib nipped a particularly sensitive spot on his neck. 

“You’d love it if I did~” Dib purred softly, rolling his hips against Zim’s. The Irken gasped softly, bucking his hips in response to Dib’s actions. He whined lowly, tilting his head back to give Dib more room to attack his neck. Dib groaned appreciatively, biting that same spot on Zim’s neck that made the Irken tremble. 

“W-We… we have to be quiet, D-Dib.” He stuttered, reaching down to undo Dib’s belt. 

Dib blushed darkly. “Are we really doing this here?” He asked. 

“Do you not want to?” Zim asked, rolling his eyes as he slid Dib’s belt from the loops. 

“No, I do, I just… Won’t you get in trouble if we get caught?” 

“That makes it more exciting, don’t you think~?” Zim purred, pecking Dib on the lips as he unzipped his jeans. Dib drew in a sharp breath as Zim’s fingers brushed against his covered length. Zim slowly slid his hands down Dib’s legs before tugging his jeans off easily. Dib helped him out of his tunic, and Zim frowned faintly. “Do I need to put on my disguise for you?” He asked. 

“Hell no,” Dib whispered before kissing Zim heatedly. Zim shimmied out of his leggings and carefully shifted his weight on his knees. He reached back, gently gripping Dib’s cock and giving it a few strokes before guiding it toward his entrance.

They both made soft noises as Zim slowly sank down until he was pressed securely against Dib. Zim immediately began to rock his hips since his body adjusted quickly to the intrusion, and Dib groaned softly. He placed his hands on Zim’s hips as the Irken rode his length. 

Zim panted faintly, placing his hands on Dib’s chest as he bounced. He moaned softly as Dib’s length hit that spot inside him that made his toes curl, and he let his head fall back. He scratched Dib’s chest lightly, nails leaving faint red marks despite his gloves and Dib’s shirt, and panted faintly as he picked up speed. 

Dib held onto Zim’s hips, thrusting upwards into him with a soft groan. Zim tensed around him suddenly, eliciting a grunt from him. “F-fuck, Zim… If you’re not close…” He panted softly, resting his head back against the arm of the sofa. 

“D-Don’t worry, I am-AH!” Zim moaned suddenly, roughly gripping Dib’s bunched up shirt as he released onto Dib’s stomach. Dib’s hips stuttered before stopping completely as he released deep into Zim. They both moaned and panted as they slowly came down from their highs. 

Zim blushed darkly as he gazed down at his former nemesis. They’d come so far in such a short amount of time, and it made him incredibly sad to think that it could all end so soon. He bit his lip as he slowly lifted his hips, letting out a breath as Dib slipped from inside him. He swallowed faintly as he rolled off of the sofa, standing on shaky legs as he grabbed his clothes from the floor. 

“There is a bathroom behind that door in the back of the room. Use the shower to clean off.” Zim instructed. Dib nodded slowly as he stood, grabbing his clothes before walking into the bathroom. 

Zim blushed darkly as he slowly pulled on his leggings and his tunic. _Zim, I’m in love with you_. The words echoed clearly in Zim’s mind. Dib loved him, and he was certain that he felt the same, but with the inevitability of what was going to happen, he couldn’t bring himself to tell Dib that he loved him too. 


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CW: Zim slits someone's throat and there's a brief mention of the blood afterward! Read at your own risk!

Dib watched helplessly as the Tallests informed the Irken troop of the plan: Zim was going to be captured, and once inside the base, he’d take out his captors. Then, he’d make his way to their communications systems and send a signal to the troop before destroying the console entirely. Without their communications, they couldn’t request back up, and without backup, the Irkens would be able to successfully take over that base. 

  


Just a few more minutes, and Zim would be getting in a ship that would take him to his (possible) death. Dib frowned deeply as the Irkens agreed to the plan and the Tallests asked Zim if he was ready. “Of course, my Tallests,” Zim said, nodding his head. He glanced over at Dib, biting the inside of his cheek subtly as he saw the look on Dib’s face. 

  


Dib couldn’t help but equate the escort Zim was receiving with a funeral procession, and he felt his throat tighten. He cleared his throat as Zim walked past him, averting his gaze. He couldn’t bring himself to even look at Zim; he’d bawl like a two-year-old if he did. 

  


Zim frowned faintly as he stole another glance at Dib, noticing how intently he was staring at his boots. He silently made a promise to the human… to  _ his  _ human… that he would return for him, no matter what happened. He sighed silently as he was led to one of the ground vehicles. 

  


Before the war had started, Irkens never really had a need for vehicles that moved on the ground but when the enemy aliens invaded their home planet, things changed. The enemy began attacking them on land as well as in the air, and they needed to defend the capital city from the ground as well. Engineers created ground vehicles to combat the enemy’s machines, but despite the amount the Irkens had, the enemy’s vehicles were stronger. No matter how many they sent into battle, they were always destroyed. 

  


Zim shook his head subtly as the door was opened, taking a deep breath before climbing inside. The door was shut, and Zim stole one last glance at his human. He frowned deeply and nodded to the Tallests before driving down the ramp. He couldn’t get the look of absolute and utter heartbreak on Dib’s face out of his mind, and he swore that he’d come back to him. 

  


***

  


Dib frowned deeply when he watched the ground vehicle disappear from view as the garage door slid shut. Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision. Before they could spill down his cheeks in front of everyone, he quickly rushed into the hallway. He pushed past several clustered groups of Irkens in the halls and stairwell before reaching the suite he and Zim had shared. 

He closed the door and began to pace back and forth. He’d never been religious (his father insisted that religion was bullshit that was fed to emotionally vulnerable people, and it wasn’t exactly “scientifically possible” that some being in the sky existed), but he found himself praying to whatever god was listening for Zim’s safety. If God (or any other higher power, for that matter) even existed, would they even hear him out here?

  


He was startled from his thoughts by a sudden knock at the door. Before he could even answer, the door opened to reveal a concerned-looking Tak. He grimaced, quickly taking off his glasses to wipe his teary eyes, but Tak held up a hand. “Relax, human.” She spoke in English. “I do not care about your appearance.” 

  


“Hey, you could’ve waited for me to answer before barging in, y’know.” He muttered, sniffling faintly. 

  


“You’re lucky I even knocked,” she said nonchalantly, making Dib sit down on the couch before sitting down gingerly beside him. “Are you in love with Zim?” She asked suddenly, without a warning. 

  


Dib blushed darkly. “W-What?! Y-You… I-I, uh-” He stuttered helplessly. Tak gave him a disbelieving look followed by a roll of her eyes.

  


“Don’t play dumb with me, human. It’s obvious.” She murmured. 

  


“...I… guess I have fallen for him pretty hard,” he sighed softly. 

  


Tak smiled ever so slightly, humming softly. “Zim’s stupid for returning to Irk. He was lucky he got banished.” She said, shocking Dib. 

  


“What? Why?” He asked. Tak had seemed so adamant about treating Zim like he was some awful, abhorrent blemish on Irken society during the meeting, but now she was basically saying that he was lucky to have been banished from it. What exactly did she mean?

  


“Zim is… has always been a bit of a wild card. The empire knew he was defective the moment he began to cause chaos on Irk. Being defective and banished from the empire, Zim is free to experience things such as love, and friendship. I never had the chance, and I probably never will.” She explained. 

  


Dib frowned deeply. “Why haven’t you left, then?” He asked. “Surely you’re defective too, then, if you want to experience these things…”

  


“I’d love to experience these things, but… I am just not ready to leave the empire.” Tak murmured softly, clasping her gloved hands together in her lap. 

  


“Will you ever be ready?” He asked her softly. 

  


Tak stood, shrugging her shoulders. “Who knows? Maybe I will someday. For now, though, I can assure you that Zim will be fine; do not worry about him.” She said before giving him a four-digit code. “This is the code to my room if you need anything. Just ask for my room number and they’ll give it to you.” 

  


Dib nodded slowly, sighing as he hugged his knees to his chest. Tak awkwardly patted his shoulder before exiting the room, leaving Dib to brood. All he could do now was hope that Zim… his wonderful, marvelous Zim would return alright. 

  


***

  


Zim frowned nervously as he drove across the bumpy expanse of a field, toward the coordinates that were given to him. They were the coordinates of the enemy base, but he knew that he was going to get attacked before he even made it close. Looking back over his shoulder, he couldn’t even see the capital building anymore, and he swallowed faintly as he became vaguely aware of the sound of a rumbling motor belonging to a vehicle much larger than the one he was driving. 

  


He slammed down on the gas pedal when a huge vehicle (similar to the tanks humans created on Earth, but without the large cannon on the top) came into his peripheral. He was no match, however, for the speed of the larger vehicle, and the next thing he knew it had smashed into the side of his. He was sent rolling across the field, cursing under his breath as he desperately tried to turn the vehicle right side up again. 

  


Zim’s vehicle eventually skidded to a halt on its side and the larger vehicle circled it slowly before stopping beside it. Before his head could stop spinning, the vehicle was flipped right side up by a pair of strong, enemy aliens. He glared at them angrily, sneering. One of the two aliens shrugged before lifting a gun and smashing the window in with the butt of the weapon. 

  


He reached into the smashed window and roughly dragged Zim out by the front of his shirt. Zim yelped, thrashing and twisting in the alien’s grip as he felt glass poke at his skin through his clothes. They each roughly secured his arms behind his back (they didn’t cuff him, though, which he found odd but was grateful for anyway), forcing him to stumble forward toward their vehicle. 

  


The two aliens lifted Zim so quickly that he felt his arms jerk before tossing him unceremoniously into the back seat. He sat up and the door was immediately slammed shut, causing the Irken to flinch. His heart pounded inside his ribcage, and he frowned deeply. He could do this. No, he had to do this. There was no going back now.

  


After a relatively uneventful ride (the two soldiers had insulted him in their native language the entire time) they arrived at the main base. They stopped at the gates and Zim watched as another soldier on guard waved them through. Once they drove around back, the vehicle came to a stop and the two soldiers exited, walking around to the back door. They reached in and roughly grabbed Zim’s wrists, dragging him out of the backseat. 

  


As they walked Zim toward a door, he glanced down, noticing a knife attached to one of their belts. If he could grab that blade and stab the one with the gun quick enough… A quick survey of his surroundings brought him to the conclusion that nobody would notice if he subdued the two quick enough. They might have been larger and stronger than Zim, but he had speed and stamina to make up for it. 

  


He wrenched his arm free and swiped the knife, stabbing the gunman at the base of his spine. The gunman collapsed when Zim slashed a nerve, crying out briefly in shock. The other soldier turned to apprehend Zim, but the Irken was quicker and slit the alien’s throat, cutting deeply. Blood spurted from the wound and a few drops got onto Zim’s tunic. He sneered, kicking the male down to the ground as he grasped at his bleeding throat. 

  


He turned and stabbed the other soldier in the throat several times before he could scream again. Zim glared and kicked the male’s gun out of his hands. “You won’t need that where you’re going,” Zim murmured calmly despite his racing heart. He reached into the alien’s uniform pocket and took an ID card that he knew they were all required to carry (he’d spent a lot of time observing them and their behaviors before leaving the planet, after all). 

  


He stood straight and walked over to the back door, swiping the card through the slot in the wall. He frowned when the system didn’t let him in immediately, cursing as he prayed that it was just taking its time to run the card’s code. The flashing light eventually stopped flashing and turned green, and the door slid open with a soft hiss. 

  


He took a breath. This was it. He was going to free the captured Irkens being held in this wretched place before destroying the communication systems. Zim glanced back at the two dying aliens with a cold gaze before walking into the dimly lit building. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I ran out of steam for this fic and decided to take a break to write another! 
> 
> Thank you for reading and don't forget to leave a comment or kudos! <3
> 
> ~Purple_Merle_Writes_NSFW


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CW: Violence and blood are present in this chapter! Read at your own risk! <3

Zim snuck down another hall with quick, quiet footsteps. Why the hell did they need so many winding hallways?  _ Probably to keep out intruders like Zim _ , he thought to himself. He peeked around the corner, eyes widening when he noticed a few soldiers with their backs turned toward him. He quickly wedged himself into a gap in the wall, cursing mentally when his foot banged off the side of a high tech vending machine, the noise reverberating throughout the hall. 

  


The soldiers immediately stopped discussing whatever they had on their minds and slowly approached the vending machine. Zim stared at the metal in front of his face, willing his pounding heart to steady. One of the soldiers was about to look into the cleft where Zim was hiding, but a sudden transmission over the intercom made them stop dead in their tracks. They frowned in protest as they dragged away by the presumably older alien. 

  


As their footsteps faded away and eventually became so distant that Zim felt safer, he slid out from his hiding spot. “Okay, okay… calm down.” He whispered soothingly to himself, gripping the handle of the knife in his hand. He didn’t take any more time to relax and instead opted to explore the hallway. 

  


There were signs with arrows pointing down the hall, and Zim didn’t really understand the language of the words written below them but he could make out a few things. Lucky for him, they also had certain doors that were different than others such as the heavy looking metal door at the end of the hall. Heavy door means heavy security, he thought. He made sure the coast was clear before briskly walking over to the door and swiping the ID card. 

  


The button flashed red and Zim frowned deeply. The soldier he’d “borrowed” the ID card from didn’t have the authority to access whatever was behind the door. He looked around before peeking into the window. He could vaguely make out what looked like cells (the window was covered in some kind of finish that made the glass hard to see through) and his heart dropped. This was where they were keeping the Irkens. 

  


He knew that he had to get in that room. He felt the glass with his hand and took notice of the thickness of the glass as well. He couldn’t bust this in with just his hands. He took a breath before extending his PAK legs and lifting himself up so his feet were level with the window. It was worth a shot. 

  


He slammed his heel into one of the corners with all the force he could muster. The glass (despite its thickness) was weaker in the corners and if he could bust the corners he’d be able to knock in the window. He continued to kick at the corner until the glass cracked. He smirked triumphantly, kicking in the corner diagonal from the first. His eyes widened when a thick line split the glass, and he kicked one last time, smashing the window in. 

  


Glass cascaded down onto the floor as Zim climbed in through the window. A soldier on guard startled awake at the sound mid snore, sitting upright immediately. Zim cursed before dropping to the floor, bolting down the straightaway and leaping onto the guard. He dug the knife into his right shoulder, ignoring his cries as he grabbed the gun from the floor. The alien male’s nails dug into Zim’s arm, threatening to draw blood as he clawed at the Irken. Zim pressed the barrel to the male’s forehead before pulling the trigger. 

  


Blood and tissue spattered onto the wall and the soldier’s body went limp in the chair. Zim dropped the gun and reached into his uniform pocket, grabbing his ID card. He reached down and grabbed the keys on his belt as well. 

  


The Irkens in the cells, who’d stirred immediately upon Zim’s chaotic entrance, began to cheer him on, telling him to unlock their cells. Zim frowned deeply in shock when he noticed that Invader Tenn was in one of the cells. “Invader Tenn!” He said, quickly unlocking her cell door and tugging it open. 

  


The female Irken’s eyes widened. “Zim?! What on Irk are you doing here? How did you-” 

  


Zim cut her off by shoving the keys into her hands. “I cannot talk now! I’ve already wasted time! I’ve killed three soldiers so far, and I am sure they will catch on soon! Free the others and create as much chaos as you possibly can.” He spoke hurriedly. Tenn, her eyes wide in confusion and shock, nodded quickly. 

  


“Oh, and before I go,” said Zim. “Do you happen to know where the control room is?” 

Tenn nodded. “Yeah. Down the stairs, make a left, and the door is at the end of that hallway.” She said. 

  


Zim thanked her and handed her the gun. “Stay safe, Tenn.” He said softly before turning and rushing out of the room. He sprinted down the hall, walking quickly down the stairs with skilled footsteps. He followed Tenn’s instructions, making a left when the hallway split into two directions, and sure enough, there was a single door at the end of the hall. 

  


He walked up to the door slowly, peeking in through the window. There were two aliens sitting in chairs in front of big screens, typing away at control pannels. They’d hear the door open, so he knew he had to be quick. They didn’t appear to be armed, so he went ahead and slid the ID card through the scanner. The door slid open with a soft hiss, but the aliens didn’t even look up from whatever they were doing. 

  


Zim tilted his head as one of them spoke, presumably thinking he was another one of them. Stupid, he thought with a shrug. He walked up to the one on the left and roughly grabbed his head, tilting it back before slitting his throat. The alien on the right immediately panicked; Zim could see it in his expression. The alien went to press a button, but Zim was faster, quickly tipping the chair over.

  


The male yelped as he crashed onto the floor, and Zim smirked, roughly driving the knife deep into his chest. Blood immediately began to gush from the wound, blossoming over his uniform. He huffed as he stood, kicking the male in the jaw. The kick was hard enough the jerk his head to the side and effectively knocked him out. Zim pulled the knife from the male’s chest before sitting down in the upright chair. He cracked his fingers before typing rapidly at the keypad. 

  


_ It is done. This is Zim; I am ready when you are. _

  


No sooner than when he’d sent out the message, he crawled under the desk, slicing the wires with the knife easily. The monitors, disconnected from their power source, shut off immediately. He looked up when he heard footsteps outside of the door, his heart pounding suddenly in his chest. He’d given Tenn the gun, and all he had was a knife. He was done for. 

  


He crawled out from under the desk as the door slid open and leaped to his feet, gripping the knife in his hand. Two soldiers entered the room, pointing their guns at Zim with narrowed eyes. 

  


“Drop the knife! NOW!” A female yelled in Irken tongue. Zim glowered. How  _ dare  _ they speak his language? 

  


“What’s done is done. You’re too late.” He said with a smirk. One of the aliens shrugged, saying something in her own language before pulling the trigger. Zim let out a yelp as he was suddenly knocked off his feet and a loud boom caused his head to ring. Before he could get any words out, realizing that he’d been shot, the butt of one of their guns came into contact with his face and everything faded around him. 

  


***

  
Dib frowned anxiously as he waited in the Tallests’ chamber for news about Zim. Zim had sent the signal over half an hour ago, and the troops had been successfully deployed. They were on their way to the base, and they’d promised to report back to the Tallests anything they found… but nobody had said anything about Zim. 

  


As Dib chewed on his lip, Tallest Red shared a glance with Tallest Purple. “It’s Dib, right? Your name?” Questioned Red. Dib nodded wordlessly, staring at the monitor. “Why are you so invested in Zim, human?” He asked, tilting his head curiously. 

  


Dib frowned, looking up at the two from his seat. “He’s… my friend.” He said hesitantly, hoping they wouldn’t notice his faint blush and hesitation. 

  


Of course, they picked up on it right away. “Are you just friends or something more?” Asked Purple. Dib felt his face heat up a thousand times more. What was he supposed to tell them that wouldn’t incriminate Zim? At the same time, if he lied and they saw right through it (he was a horrible liar; Gaz had confirmed this countless times)...

  


“It’s… it’s complicated, okay?” He muttered, turning his head back to the screen. Red frowned deeply and opted to gently pat Dib on the shoulder, although it was a bit awkward for him to do so. 

  


The monitor suddenly lit up. “Incoming transmission, sirs!” said a navigator. They all turned their heads to look at the screen. 

  


“What are you waiting for, moron?! Patch them through!” Tallest Red snapped. The navigator quickly obeyed, and soon enough an elite was on the screen. “Well? How did it go?” He asked the elite. 

  


“Well, my Tallest! It went well!” The elite spoke calmly. Dib frowned deeply as he saw several Irkens in the background covered in blood as well as some overturned vehicles that just so happened to be on fire. It didn’t seem to be going well, but Dib didn’t dare to voice his opinion to them. “We won the battle, liberated the captured Irkens, and demanded the enemy’s surrender!” 

  


“Congratulations!” Tallest Red began. “Well done-”

  


“Where’s Zim?!” Dib interrupted. The elite seemed confused for a moment before frowning deeply, glancing over his shoulder. Dib felt his heart drop; something was wrong. 

  


“He’s… um… with a medic now.” The elite told him. “The medic is doing all that she can-”

  


“What’s going on? Is he hurt?!” Dib asked quickly, immediately shrugging off Red’s hand on his shoulder. 

  


“He’s got some pretty severe wounds on his stomach and shoulder.” The elite explained. 

  


“Is he going to be okay?!” Dib was panicking now. He knew this would happen. He couldn’t lose Zim. 

  


“The medic is doing all she can,” the elite repeated in an annoyed tone. Red nodded and thanked the elite for his report. The elite nodded and saluted them before the screen went black. Dib felt hot tears well in his eyes and he quickly turned to the Tallests. 

  


“I need to go see him!” He said, frowning deeply. 

  


“Human, it could still be very dangerous.” Tallest Purple said, sharing a glance with Tallest Red. 

  


“I don’t care about that! You don’t understand,” Dib said. “I just- I need to see him!” He began fumbling with his words, his chest tight with emotion. Red frowned deeply, an odd level of understanding coming into his crimson eyes. He called for a service drone (Dib came to learn that these were the shortest Irkens), speaking loudly and clearly. 

  


A shorter Irken trotted up to them, looking up. “Yes, my Tallest?” He asked. 

  


“Retrieve Elite Tak! Now!” He said, causing the service drone to immediately run out of the room. He turned to Dib, nodding slowly. “Tak will take you to the base; well, whatever’s left of it.” 

  


Tallest Purple nodded. “She’ll take you to Zim.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, you may have noticed that I've upped the total chapters to 18. This chapter (16) had to be split into two parts because it was so much longer than my other chapters. Let me know if y'all prefer longer chapters or the way they are now!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment or kudos! 
> 
> ~Purple_Merle_Writes_NSFW
> 
> UPDATE: Turns out I don't need to extend the story another chapter! It's all good, haha! <3


	17. Chapter 17

Dib frowned deeply, watching as Tak signed out a vessel. He couldn’t get over the whole process. Irkens didn’t have their own vessels to pilot. They weren’t assigned a specific vessel, so they had to check them out every time they wanted to use one. This baffled Dib and Tak took notice. 

“What?” She asked as they walked down the strip toward the vessel. 

Dib shook his head slowly, crossing his arms. “I think it’s stupid that you have to check out a ship to use it. Why don’t you guys just get assigned your own ships? It’d make things so much easier.” He said. 

Tak shook her head this time. “That is not how we do things on Irk.” She said simply, opening the ship’s door. She stepped aside and let Dib get in first before plopping herself down into the pilot’s seat. The door slowly lowered shut before locking in place with a click. 

“So… are all the ships the same? They all look like they are; kind of like cutting out cookies with a cookie cutter.” He said. Tak tilted her head and he realized that she probably wouldn’t understand the analogy. “Er, well, they all look like they were mass-produced, I mean.”

“That is because they are mass-produced. All ships are created to be the same, and the defective ships that don’t function properly are thrown out.” She explained. “They are all the same down to the wires and even smaller components.” 

Dib nodded slowly and buckled up as Tak backed out of the dock. Once they were clear of the station, Tak turned the ship around and they began to accelerate forward quickly. Dib gasped as he was forced back against the seat. “H-How fast does this thing move?” He asked Tak reluctantly. 

Tak smirked slightly, humming. “Fast enough. We should be there in ten or so minutes.” She murmured.

Dib frowned deeply, closing his eyes as he leaned his head back. “I… I can’t lose him, Tak. I  _ do  _ love him. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” He mumbled, feeling his chest tighten again. He couldn’t imagine going home without Zim at his side, and he needed the little Irken (13-year-old Dib would’ve thrown up if he could see himself in the future, but Dib didn’t care anymore). He got quiet as they flew quickly over the deep reddish-pink surface of Irk, praying once again to whatever god was listening that Zim would be okay. 

***

Dib’s eyes widened as they landed at the site of the battle. The base looked like it had been bombed; there were chunks of the building missing and piles of rubble were pooled about. He spotted several bodies, belonging to both the enemy and the Irken armada, scattered about, bloody, mangled, and mutilated almost beyond recognition. He swallowed thickly and looked away, feeling a little queasy. 

Tak landed the ship and they exited the vessel quickly. She helped Dib down onto the ground, making sure he was steady before letting him go. A soldier walked past, carrying a gun that was half his size, and Tak stopped him, speaking in quick Irken tongue. “Where is Zim?” She asked. 

“He’s in the tent over there.” The soldier responded, nodding toward the said tent. Tak nodded and gently grabbed Dib’s sleeve, leading him over to the tent. They passed by one Irken who was gritting his teeth in pain as another wrapped bandages around his lacerated thigh. Dib grimaced, but the look was immediately replaced by concern as they stopped in front of the make-shift medical tent. 

“Elite soldier Tak is requesting permission to enter.” She said calmly. Dib huffed; he really needed to bother Zim about teaching him Irken language… if he even made it back to Earth. A voice from within reached them, and Tak slowly held the curtain aside for Dib to enter. 

Dib frowned deeply as he ducked inside, eyes widening when he saw the state Zim was in. Zim was laying on his side on a stretcher of sorts, bandages wrapped around his torso and shoulder. He had a huge bruise on his face, and he was staring intently at the wall. He must’ve caught sight of them in his peripherals because he immediately turned his head to look, eyes widening. 

“Dib,” he whispered groggily. Dib bit his bottom lip, slowly walking over to him, and Zim frowned deeply. “Are you alright?” He asked. 

Dib chuckled sadly, kneeling beside the stretcher on the opposite side of the medic. “I should be asking you that question,” he muttered. 

“Zim is fine, just… a little light-headed and dizzy.” Murmured the Irken dismissively. 

Dib turned to look at the medic. “Will he actually be okay?” He asked. Tak quickly translated for him, and the medic nodded, speaking to her before standing and leaving the tent.    
  


“He said that Zim will be fine, he just lost a lot of blood. That’s why he isn’t feeling well.” Tak said, crossing her arms. “He needs stitches.” 

Zim winced at this, and Dib felt tears form in his eyes yet again. He wasn’t sure how many times he’d cried, but he knew that it probably looked pretty pathetic. Zim immediately picked up on Dib’s distress and sighed softly. “I’m alright, Dib-thing. I promise,” he murmured. 

“I could’ve lost you,” Dib said, choking up. “Zim, I love you, and the thought of you not coming home with me killed me inside, I-” He cut himself off, blushing faintly in embarrassment. Zim hushed him quietly, and Dib felt guilt prick at his being. “S-Sorry, I… I know you probably don’t feel the same.”

Zim glanced at Dib before looking down at his hand, which was resting on the stretcher. He slowly slid his hand over Dib’s, gripping his fingers and squeezing gently. “Don’t be stupid, Dib… I love you too.” He said softly, causing Dib’s eyes to widen. Zim looked over at Tak to find her smiling wistfully at them. 

***

A few days later, they were still in their suite on Irk. The medic said that Zim would heal quickly, but Dib was still surprised to see that Zim’s wounds were already basically closed and in the last stages of healing. They’d wanted to keep him over the next few days though, just to be sure. 

Dib sat on their bed in the room, his bag sitting next to him on the floor. He watched as Zim pulled on a pair of his usual skin-tight leggings, blushing faintly. He wasn’t fully dressed, but before he could slide his tunic on over his head, he caught Dib staring at him. “What, Dib?” He asked curiously, tilting his head. 

The human stared at the closing wounds on Zim’s upper torso. “I still can’t believe you healed that fast,” he murmured. Zim chuckled softly before pulling on his tunic. “Are you nervous about the send-off?”

“It is an honor,” Zim told him. “Irkens aren’t usually honorably discharged unless they’re too old to work or fight anymore, so… this is a pretty big deal. I’m trying not to be nervous.” He admitted. Dib smiled reassuringly at him, and Zim felt his heart flutter. “It’s nothing I can’t handle, of course! How do I look?” He said quickly, causing Dib to chuckle a bit as he turned in a quick circle. 

“You look… like you,” said Dib. Zim pouted at this, and Dib laughed warmly. “It’s a good thing, Zim.” A soft knock came from the door, and they both looked over as a service drone poked his head in. 

“Are you ready, Zim?” He asked. Zim glanced at Dib before adjusting his gloves with a nod. “Good. Everyone’s waiting for you at the docking bay.” With that, Dib stood from the bed and slipped the strap of his bag over his shoulder. They exited the suite and made their way towards the elevator. 

The service drone pressed the down button and Dib lightly touched the small of Zim’s back as they waited for the doors to open. Together, they stepped into the elevator and Dib took one last glance at the door to their suite before the elevator’s doors closed. 

The ceremony was relatively short, Dib noticed, but then again he couldn’t understand a word they were saying. The entire time, Zim remained respectfully silent as did the other Irkens watching from the crowd. Dib smiled proudly at Zim. He went from being a nobody in the cruel eyes of the empire to being honorably discharged so he could return home to Earth with Dib. He was very proud of his alien boyfriend. 

That was another reason for Dib to smile; shortly after they’d returned to the suite for the first time, Dib had asked Zim if he wanted to go steady. It took some explaining (Zim didn’t understand what this “going steady” expression meant), but Zim eventually agreed, purring as he nuzzled Dib’s cheek. Dib had gotten butterflies in his stomach then, and he couldn’t believe how much had changed since he’d been thirteen. 

After the ceremony had ended, Dib climbed into the vessel first. Zim went to follow him, but Tallest Red cleared his throat before sharply nudging Tallest Purple with his elbow. Tallest Purple winced before speaking to Zim in clear English. “We uh… wanted to apologize for not taking you seriously when you came to us.” 

Zim nodded. “It was understandable. I caused the empire a lot of issues, so…” He shrugged his shoulders. 

“Still. We thank you for your service to the empire.” Tallest Red commented.

“This isn’t goodbye for good, my Tallests,” Zim said. After a brief moment of painfully awkward silence, Tallest Purple nodded. 

“You’re always welcome back as long as you don’t destroy anything!” He said, earning another sharp elbow to the side from his fellow leader. He shot Tallest Red a glare, and Zim chuckled softly. 

“It’s alright, honestly.” He said, smiling. He dipped his head respectfully and said his goodbyes before climbing into the ship. He sat down in the pilot’s seat beside Dib, buckling up as the door slid shut with a click. 

“Are you okay?” Dib asked him, looking over at the Irken as he too buckled his harness-like seatbelt. Zim nodded, and just as they were about to back out of the dock, the Irkens in the vicinity placed their fists over their hearts, bowing their heads. Dib watched as Zim’s eyes widened, a smile spreading across his face. 

Filled with positive energy, Zim skillfully backed out of the dock and turned the vessel around. As they began to fly away from the docking bay in a rapid ascension, Dib placed his hand comfortingly on Zim’s leg. Zim blushed as he registered the warmth of Dib’s palm on his thigh, and smiled happily. When they broke the atmosphere, soaring among the stars of Irk’s galaxy, Zim couldn’t help but feel a faint ache in his heart… 

...An ache for his  _ home  _ on Earth, with his Dib. An ache that he’d never realized he’d had before, but now knew that he had been experiencing all along. Earth was his home, and he was ready to accept it with open arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap, folks! I want to thank you all so much for following along as I wrote this; my first ever, fully finished fanfic. God, it feels so amazing to be able to say that I've finished this! <3
> 
> Thank you so much for your continued support! Keep your eyes open, too; this may not be the end! *insert eyes emoji here*
> 
> ~Purple_Merle_Writes_NSFW

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy guys! Back with another fanfic! It's actually kind of funny. If it weren't for some other amazing authors in the Invader Zim fandom, I wouldn't have been inspired to write my own fic, OR watch the show. I never had the desire to, and I don't know why. 
> 
> An author I was majorly inspired by is TrippNessa! Her Invader Zim fanfic "A Promise To Keep" is sooo good, and I honestly love it! I hope they update it soon, haha!
> 
> Thanks for reading and, as always, if you enjoyed don't forget to leave kudos and some comments (I seriously appreciate comments a tad bit more than kudos, so you'd make my day, lmao)!
> 
> ~Purple_Merle


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